E.—9

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make for the improvement of the organization of the school be carried into effect, the school will at no distant date take its proper position as one of the leading schools in the colony. We have, &c, G. S. Sale. The Board of Governors, John Shand. Auckland Grammar School Feed. D. Beown.

3. Headmaster's Comments on the Repobt op Special Examinees. I think that the following statistics, which, with others, were presented to the examiners, but have not been noticed by them in their report, deserve the attention of the Board. To me it seems that if a school which has been carried on under such difficulties is found to be in even a tolerable state such a result is highly creditable : — 801 l Numbers.— December, 1881, 163; December, 1882, 168; December, 1883, 249; December, 1884, 331; and December, 1885, 261. Between December, 1881, and the date of the examination no less than 379 boys left the school, the average continuance of whom in it was only two years and four months—a less time than might be spent with profit in the highest Form alone—the majority probably staying less than eighteen months; whilst 477 entered. In January, 1882, there were eight assistant masters. Between then and the date of the examination eight left. Not one of these gave the prescribed notice: several left in the middle of terms, some without even a day's notice. Twelve joined, several in the middle of terms, and after intervals during which either partial temporary help was obtained or the places were left vacant. (Since the examination three more masters have left, and two have been appointed very hastily.) Abstract of 8011, September, 1885, showing Form or Class, Number of Scholars in Form or Class, Average Ages, and Average Continuance in School. —Upper Fifth, 14 scholars, 16 years 8 months, 4 years and 1 term ; Lower Fifth, 16 scholars, 16 years 5 months, 3 years; Upper Fourth, 31 scholars, 15 years 5 months, 2 years and 1-J- terms ; Lower Fourth, 25 scholars, 15 years 2 months, 2 years and 2{j terms; Eemove A, 27 scholars, -14 years 9 months, 2 years and 1 term ; Eomove B, 17 scholars, 15 years 6 months, 1 term; Upper Third, 27 scholars, 13 years 9 months, 1 year and 2-J- terms; Lower Third, 23 scholars, 13 years 4 months, 2 years; Modern Third, Division 3, 22 scholars, 14 years 5 months, 1 year and 2-J terms; Upper Second, 25 scholars, 12 years 6-| months, 1 year and 2 terms; Lower Second, 22 scholars, 11 years 9 months, 1 year and 1 term; First, 14 scholars, 11 years 4 months, 2 terms; Alpha, Division 1, 7 scholars, 17 years 1 month, 4 years and 2 terms ; Alpha, Division 2, 15 scholars, 16 years 6 months, 2 years and 2 terms; Beta, 15 scholars, 15 years 10 months, 2 years and 2 terms; Gamma, 15 scholars, 15 years 7 months, 3 years and 2 terms; Delta, 18 scholars, 15 years 2 months, 3 years ; Epsilon, 34 scholars, 15 years 3-J- months, 1 year and 1$ terms ; Zeta, 23 scholars, 14 years 6 months, 2 years and 1-J- terms ; A, Division 1, 19 scholars, 14 years 11 months, 1 year and 2-J- terms; A, Division 2, 13 scholars, 13 years 5 months, 1 year and 1-J terms; B, 22 scholars, 13 years 6 months, 2 years; Ci, 27 scholars, 13 years 4-| months, 1 year and 2^ terms; C 2, 19 scholars, 12 years 11 months, 1 year and 2 terms; D, 20 scholars, 11 years 5 months, 1 year and -J term. It should be remembered that in the higher Forms the average continuance is greatly raised by the presence of a few boys who have attended for very long periods. Thus, in the Upper Fifth one boy, who left before the examination, had attended for eight years, three for seven years, one for five years, five for three years, and two for only two years. In the Lower Fifth two boys had attended for only just over a year, and seven for only two years; but the average was raised by two who had stayed for six years and two for five years. So in Beta, to which I shall have to allude further : out of fifteen boys, nine had been in the school for only one year and one term, and two only two years; but the average was raised by three who had attended seven years, one six years, and two seven years. It will be easily understood that when so many of the boys in the highest Forms have attended for so short a time the standard of work cannot be high. In a report dated the 24th December, 1884, I dealt pretty fully with the state of things then existing. The candid statement of the shortcomings of the school contained in that report has been freely drawn upon by a member of the Board in attacking the management of the school, but apparently without any reference to the stated causes of those shortcomings. Nor has the report been considered by the Board as a whole. The following are the names of the masters who take the various forms and classes. In giving them, however, I should point out that the bulk of the boys with each master at the time of the examination had been with him for about eleven weeks only, so that praise and blame must be shared with the masters above and below. (This does not apply to natural science ; or, in the main, to French.) Also, certain Forms, especially Eemove A and Zeta, as being the lowest in the Upper School, and Modern Third, Division 3, were made up mainly of unpromising boys. Headmaster: Latin and English of Upper Fifth, " Julius Cassar "of Lower Fifth. Mr. Anderson : Latin and English of Lower Fifth, Part of English of Lower Second. Mr. Francis : Latin and English of Upper Fourth, mathematics of Epsilon and First. Mr. Tibbs : Latin and part of English of Lower Fourth, mathematics of Alpha and A. Mr. Cox : Latin and English of Eemove A, English of First. Mr. Kirby : Latin and French and English Literature of Eemove B, English Literature of Lower Fourth and Modern Fourth, mathematics of Zeta. Mr. Tomlinson: Latin and English of Upper Third, mathematics of Delta and B. Mr. Alloway : Latin and most of English of Lower Third, mathematics of Gamma and C, Division 1. Mr. Carson : Latin of special boys, English and French of Modern Third, Division 3, mathematics of C, Division 2. Mr. Dickson : Latin and English of Upper Second, part of English of Lower Second, mathematics of D. Mr. Trevithick : All writing and drawing. Mr. Highton : All natural science, mathematics of Beta. Mr. Watkins : All French, except that of Eemove B and Modern Third, Division 3, History of Lower Third. I