E.—lß

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Drill.-—'For the same reason, the teaching of this, as it seems to me, by no means unimportant branch of an education has fallen off considerably, not only as regards the number of schools where it is taken up, but, in all save a few cases, in the thoroughness of the work done. Presentation of Children more than Eight Years Old in Class P.—ln compliance with the latest instructions to Inspectors, I have ascertained from head teachers what are their reasons for not presenting such children in Standard I. I find that there are in all 200 such cases in this district. The reasons assigned may be grouped under three heads : Shortness of school-life, irregularity of attendance, and exceptional dulness. Sixty-nine children had attended school for a month only before the examination, eighty-nine had attended very irregularly, and thirty-eight were set down as being hopelessly dull. The number held back for these reasons does not seem to me excessive, and the explanations of the teachers are apparently fully borne out by the facts. The fact is that hitherto, in the Nelson District, the tendency to be guarded against has been in quite an opposite direction to that of unduly keeping back scholars from presentation in the First Standard. In September, finding that owing to interruptions from bad weather and other causes I should be unable to complete my round of examinations by the end of the year, 1 obtained permission from the Board to engage the services of Mr. Walter Ladley, the master of Lower Wakefield School, for a period of six weeks, as assistant-examiner in the West Coast and Takaka schools. Mr. Ladley rendered me valuable help, and proved himself to be a most painstaking and capable examiner. I append the usual short summary, embodying my opinion as to the state of each school up to the date of its being examined. [Not reprinted.] I have, &c, The Chairman, Education Board, Nelson. W. C. Hodgson, Inspector.

Summary of Results for the Whole District.

GEEY. Sik,— Education Office, Greymouth, 20th April, 1893. I have the honour to report upon the schools of the district for 1892. Twenty schools were examined, and three aided schools have yet to be examined. The following particulars furnish a means of comparing the condition of the schools for the years 1890, 1891, and 1892 :—

There is very little in the work of the year calling for special comment. On the whole the schools of the district have reached a very fair level of efficiency, and the maintenance of that may be accepted as proof of good honest work on the part of the teachers. The amended regulations under which the teachers now work came into operation in the beginning of the year. Their tendency is in the direction of lightening the teacher's work ; but the extra requirements in drawing will be heavily felt in a district such as this, where no facilities exist whereby the teacher can get special instruction. The opportunities given for grouping classes in history, geography, and grammar are decidedly beneficial, though during the past year anything but full advantage has been taken of the concession.

Classes. Presented. Absent. Excepted. Failed. Passed. Average Age of those that passed. Yrs. mos. Above Standard VI. Standard VI. V. IV. III. II. I. Preparatory ... 182 378 591 701 767 708 741 1,762 16 27 30 29 21 25 14 33 23 23 33 15 35 113 42 63 55 30 313 418 606 652 599 671 13 11 12 11 12 1 10 9 9 10 8 7 Totals 5,830 148 141 338 3,259 11 4* * Mean of average age.

1890. 1891. 1892. Eoll-immber on day of examination ... Number of above already passed standard course Number within standard classification Number enrolled in standard classes present at examination Number promoted to a higher standard 1,729 26 1,161 1,080 912 1,670 28 1,079 990 843 1,713 20 1,091 1,030 869