E.—l

fourth quarter of the year is greater by 3,459 than the corresponding average of the preceding year; the average of the weekly roll-number is increased by 2,575. For 1889 the numbers are —average attendance for the year, 93,374; average attendance for the fourth quarter, 94,308; average of weekly roll-number for the year,"116,211. Table A contains the principal statistics of attendance from the date of the passing of " The Education Act, 1877."

TABLE A.—School Attendance and Yearly Increase from 1877 to 1889.

In the next table (B) the principal facts with respect to the attendance in the several education districts are exhibited. In one district (Westland) an actual decline has taken place in the number of children under instruction, and in some others the increase is very small. The regularity of attendance —as measured by the ratio between the average of the daily attendance and the average of the weekly roll-number—continues to improve, and has now reached 803 per cent, for the whole colony. As usual Otago leads the van, with a percentage (higher than ever) of 85*7. The improvement in this respect is participated in by all the districts except Auckland, Taranaki, and Wanganui.

TABLE B.—School Attendance fob 1889.

Included in Table B are Maoris and half-castes to the number of 1,101, as follows :—

II

School Attendance. Yearly Increase on Year. to a'1's o 3 S.SpH Average Attendance. Iff . JIM'S Fourth Whole Quarter. Year. "o J i ilil ass* ■5§§ M d O -21 " S ■a o 'a! $ | Average Ai Fourth Quarter. jendance. Whole Year. 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 50,849 59,707 68,124 74,359 76,309 79,416 84,883 90,670 95,377 99,206 103,534 104.919 55,688 65,040 75,566 82,401 83,560 87,179 92,476 97,238 102,407 106,328 110,919 112,685 115,456 49,435 57,301 62,946 63,009 66,426 70,077 74,650 80,183 83,361 87,386 90,849 94,308 45,521 53,067 60,625 61,822 63,709 67,373 72,657 78,327 80,737 85,637 90,108 93,374 73'8 74-6 74-2 73-6 74-0 75-1 76-6 76-1 77-0 79-3 80-3 8,858 8,417 6,235 1,950 3,107 5,467 5,787 4,707 3,829 4,328 1,385 9,352 10,526 6,835 1,159 3,619 5,297 4,762 5,169 3,921 4,591 1,766 2,771 7,866 5,645 63 3,417 3,651 4,573 5,533 3,178 4,025 3,463 3,459 7,546 7,558 1,197 1,887 3,664 5,284 5,670 2,410 4,900 4,471 3,266

i Ad- t „«■ Pupils i mitted ! d^?* belonging; during +£" g at Bud the *he |oj Year, ; i6al- Year. Boll-Numbers. Average Daily Attendance. , ; |al || Fourth Quarter. g g ° g~ •/. - Whole I Education Districts. Pupils at Beginning , of Year. Fourth Quarter. Boys. Girls. Total. 1889. 1888. I Auckland Paranaki W'anganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Srey Westland ISTortli Canterbury South Canterbury Jtago Southland 19,933 2,290 6,405 8,480 5,332 1,681 5,219 1,062 1,748 19,422 4,467 20,770 7,510 9,729 1,044 3,259 C,252 3,255 812 2,086 664 481 8,637 1,802 7,814 3,261 7,978 769 2,389 4,313 2,618 639 1,556 578 533 7,350 1,465 5,843 2,528 21,684 2,565 7,275 10,419 5,969 1,854 5,749 1,748 1,696 20,709 4,804 22,741 8,243 9,300 972 2,897 4,259 2,566 758 2,288 723 735 8,920! 1,995 10,237 3,490 ! 8,479 17,779 923 1,895 2,613 5,510 4,016! 8,275 2,284| 4,850 6541 1,412| 2,201: 4,489| 730! 1,4531 685, 1,420 8.211 17,181 1,855) 3,850 9,305' 19,542} 8.212 6,702 .17,708 1,851 < 5,435 8,319 4,792 I 1,405 ! 4,510 I 1,398 I 1,424 ! 16,653 3,848 i 19,529 6,502 80'4 : 80-9 72-4 ! 73-9 74-3 i 75-5 79-6 : 78-5 80-0 79-7 78-5 ' 77-6 78-3 ' 76-8 77-2 76-5 78-9 77-7 80-0 77-4 78-6 77-7 85-7 i 83-8 78-6 I 76-2 Totals for 1889 Totals for 1888 104,919 103,534 49,096 48,687 38,559 39,530 115,456 112,685 49,140 47,641 45,168! 94,308 43,208| 90,849 93,374 90,108 80-3 ' 79-3 79-3 Increase in year Decrease in year ' ~i 1,385 409 2,771 1,499 l,960| 3,459 . 3,26i 1-0 977 ..