35

E.—lβ

Drawing. —Perhaps greater strides have been made in this subject than in any other. Teachers have endeavoured to recover the lost ground caused by non-compliance with the syllabus in former years, and lam pleased to state they have been generally successful in their efforts. One school— namely, Greymouth—took advantage to enter candidates for the first-grade drawing examination conducted by the Wellington Technical School, and the results were very satisfactory. Geography. —This subject was well treated in most cases, and the maps were, as a rule, well drawn and had a neat appearance. Class and Additional Subjects.—-Singing and drill have been introduced in several schools with good effect. The latter subject is such a vast aid to discipline that it should in no case be omitted in the school programme. Several country schools took advantage of my suggestion, made in last year's report, with reference to recitation, and the results were encouraging. Grammar, though still very weak in a few cases, shows satisfactory improvement; and history, where taught, is generally good. Science and object-lessons receive considerable attention in all schools, and where these lessons are made interesting to the children very good results were produced, and. the pupils absorbed a great deal of very useful information. By direction of the Board, I this year, for the first time, both inspected and examined the Roman Catholic schools within the Grey District. Reports were prepared and sent to them in every respect similar to those furnished to the schools under the Board. Technical Education.—Mr. W. Arnott has with untiring zeal continued to conduct the carpentry class at the District High School, and the thanks of the Board are again due to him for his praiseworthy and gratuitous services. As showing the popularity of this class among the pupils, I may mention that Mr. Arnott has at the present time over forty boys under his charge, and could he spare the time he might have as many more. The work is done out of school hours, and the full class is invariably present. Perhaps, now that an Act has passed granting a small amount of capitation for technical education, some of the other schools may take the matter up. Of course, the difficulty is to provide funds for starting such a class. However, the late Mr. W. C. Smith, and a few more energetic gentlemen who were on the Grey Committee during his time,.were able to overcome this stumbling-block; and I feel sure that parents, seeing how well the present class has succeeded, would be all the more ready to contribute towords so laudable an object. I have, &c, William L. F. Fetch, Inspector. The Chairman and Members, Education Board, Grey.

Summary of Results for the Whole District.

WBSTLAND. Sib,— Hokitika, 2nd March, 1896. I have the honour to present the following report on the schools of the district for the year 1895 :— The schools of South Westland were examined in February, and the remainder during the last four months of the year. Inspection visits were paid early in the year to all excepting the smaller aided schools. Separate reports have been presented on the examination of the scholarship candidates, the pupil-teachers, and the secondary class of the Hokitika District High School. In addition, the four Catholic schools at Hokitika, Kumara, Eoss, and Kanieri were, by direction of the Board, examined during November and December. The schools of the district may be classified as follows: Household schools, 8; other schools under sole teacher, 16 ; side schools, 2; schools with staffs of two or more teachers 9 : total, 35. The teachers employed by the Board at the close of the year were: Head-teachers, 9 ; sole teachers, 22 ; assistants, 15 ; pupil-teachers, 14. The certificated teachers include all the headteachers, 13 assistants, and 9 sole teachers. With the exception of two assistants no uncertificated adult teacher is employed in any school of more than fifteen pupils. The teaching power is, except in a few small schools, competent and effective, and to a very large extent any weakness to be recorded in the work of the schools is due to causes beyond the control of the teachers.

• Mean of average age.

Classes. Presented. Present. Passed. Average Age of those that passed. Yrs. mos, tbove Standard VI. Standard VI. V. ... „ IV. „ III. ... „ II. ... I. ... 'reparatory 33 98 146 229 183 203 188 604 92 140 221 179 194 181 70 104 158 137 183 177 14 6 13 5 12 6 11 2 10 2 8 10 Totals 1,684 1,007 829 11 9*