E.—l

VI

The passes were 56 - 03 of the number on the roll; the failures were 14*1 per cent, of the number examined in standard classes. The corresponding percentages for 1897 were 55*5 and 1531. Supposing that the conditions of examination have been equally rigid, these figures show a general advance. Table & affords a means of comparing the percentages of passes in the separate standards for the several districts; the comparison must be largely qualified by the fact that the requirements, though nominally the same in all districts, are not actually the same ; and, further, by what appears to be true also- -namely, that greater attention seems to be paid to the classsubjects in some districts than in others. In Standard I. 97 per cent, of those presented pass ; in Standard 11., 93-6 per cent.; 111., 81-9 ; IV., 79-1; V., 76-9 ; VI., 85-6.

TABLE G.—Passes.

Expressed as percentages of the total roll-number the passes in the several standards are: In Standard 1., 113 per cent.; 11., 11-5; III;, 10*9; IV., 10; V.,7-1; VI., 5-2. Table H shows the number of pupils receiving instruction in each subject of the syllabus.

TABLE H.—Number of Pupils instructed in each Subject.

S Public Schools and Teachees. During 1898 the number of schools increased by 39—from 1,585 to 1,624— while the average daily attendance in the fourth quarter decreased from 110,523 to 107,904. The mean average number per school in attendance during the fourth quarter was accordingly 66 - 4, as against 69*7 for 1897. It has already been pointed out, however, that the attendance during the fourth quarter was

Passes in Standards. Present at Examination. Education Districts. I. II. III. I IV. "V. VI. I. II. I III. IV. V. VI. Auckland Taranaki .. .. Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland .. 3,187 450 1,295 1,651 1,053 218 597 159 130 2,267 591 2,363 1,069 3,159 519 1,234 1,731 920 222 648 175 145 2,299 587 2,480 1,101 2,955 390 1,198 1,688 810 255 705 205 154 2,211 643 2,235 1,024 2,758 282 1,041 1,539 713 240 584 166 106 2,186 591 2,117 938 1,868 142 595 1,072 410 147 447 138 127 1,579 408 1,700 718 1,382 80 408 819 248 108 336 77 92 1,149 290 1,420 516 3,275 521 1,336 1,694 1,121 223 625 172 137 2,321 596 2,381 1,091 3,387 618 1,311 1,833 1,028 230 719 187 158 2,466 599 2,580 1,152 3,602 546 1,453 1,964 966 300 867 230 186 2,875 741 2,689 1,263 3,615 462 1,301 1,772 854 301 743 206 138 2,848 704 2,657 1,162 2,403 256 799 1,327 536 186 610 169 156 2,161 499 2,126 939 1,592 111 458 943 313 157 444 95 113 1,397 328 1,559' 580 : 8,090 7,160, For the colony .. In 1897 !15,030 il4,937 15,220 15,491 14,473 14,747 13,261 12,481 9,351 9,382 6,925 6,354 15,493 15,578 16,268 16,712 17,682 17,991 16,763 16,758 12,167 12,091

Education Districts. Its a bis a s o I S ■3 I is sSi ■sag, m I ! 1C 5 IS a I 6 a I S I J 1. 1-3 P !Z5 .2 9 Auckland Tarariaki Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Grey Westland North Canterbury South Canterbury Otago Southland 27,557 3,981 10,205 14,432 7,726 2,121 5,915 1,683 1,377 20,619 5,197 21,184 9,624 27,557 3,981 10,205 14,432 7,726! 2,121] 5,915] 1,683 1,377 20,619! 5,197 21,184 9,624 27,557 3,981 10,205 14,432 7,726 2,121 5,915 1,683 1,377 20,619 5,197 21,184 9,624 27,557 3,981 10,192 14,368 7,726 2,121 5,915 1,683 1,377 20,619 5,175 21,184 9,624 14,103 1,658 5,044 7,548 3,736 1,194 3,445 755 787 11,052 2,722 11,511 4,808 17,149 2,261 6,562 9,187 4,781 1,412 4,076 975 927 13,390 3,383 13,889 5,972 13,020 1,665 4,829 7,482 3,582 1,167 3,231 650 746 11,011 2,692 11,391 4,603 9,936 1,133 3,775 5,342 2;719 890 2,507 471 577 6,490 2,074 8,064 3,230 27,297 3,967 9,014 14,130 7,649 2,069 5,219 1,527 1,226 20,419 5,010 20,377 9,251 17,807 2,838 5,965 9,502 5,230] 1,231 3,589 1,033! 778! 12,477] 3,154] 12.814J 6,080 22,165 3,208 4,076 13,692 7,182 1,162 3,117 898 ■ 922 18,919 4,759 20,326 8,665 11,640 ■1,802 3,284 6,282 3,174 937 2,366 600 526i 9,723 2,255 8,672 3,248 > 994 . 51 121 3,332 68 93 93 80 I 1 1,926 4 830 281 7,824 5,909 Totals for 1898 Totals for 1897 131,621 132,197 131,621 132,197 131,621 132,179 131,522 132,065 68,363 68,415 83,964 84,650! 66,069 "65,715 47,208 47,170 127,155 126,731 82,048! 81,805 1109,091 107,256 54,509 54,645 Difierenoe -576 -576 -558 -543 -52 -686 3538 424 243 1,835 -136 1,915