11

b.—iß,

their time, and passed successfully the examinations at the end of each year of their course. These are ranked as first-class pupil-teachers, and they await promotion to junior assistantships or to the charge of small schools. Scholarships, —For the senior scholarships thirty-four candidates (eighteen boys and sixteen girls) and for the junior scholarships thirty-eight candidates (twenty-two boys and sixteen girls) were examined. In the senior class thirteen candidates and in the junior class ten candidates qualified for scholarships—that is, obtained at least 65 per cent, of the total possible marks, and at least 25 per cent, of the possible marks in each subject. The funds admitted of three scholarships being granted to the senior class, and four to the junior class. The other candidates who qualified for scholarships are entitled to free tuition—in the case of boys at the Wanganui Collegiate School, and in the case of girls at the Wanganui Girls' College. Of the thirteen successful senior candidates, only two were from primary schools; all the others were from either the Wanganui Girls' College or the Wanganui Collegiate School. Nine of the unsuccessful candidates obtained over 60 per cent, of the possible marks; this added to the thirteen who qualified shows that twentytwo candidates, or 61 per cent, of those who sat, obtained over 60 per cent., which must be considered a very satisfactory result. Number of Schools. —The number of schools open at the close of the school year was 144, which, compared with that at the close of the previous year, shows an increase of ten. The new schools opened during the year were at Hautapu, Lismore, Paengaroa, Tiriraukawa, Livingstone, Kerewarewa, Opaku, Motoroa, Punehu, Long Acre, and Table Flat. The school at Table Flat, a district in the Upper Oroua basin, was closed after it had been open for three months. Mangahoe, which had been closed for nearly a year, was reopened. Within the last five years eleven new schools have been opened in that bush part of the district through which the main road from Pipiriki on the Wanganui River to Mangaweka on the Bangitikei passes. Eighteen miles from Pipiriki on this road is Eaetihi, where our first school is passed; the next, Ohakune, is six miles farther on ; then not till forty miles have been passed over is the next school, Taihape, reached. Taihape is the centre for the district in which nearly all these recently opened schools are situated. This school has now a roll-number of eighty-three. The distance from Taihape to Mangaweka is fifteen miles. Inspection. —lls schools were inspected — five more than in the previous year. For the first time since they were opened, the schools in the back district between the Wanganui and the Eangitikei Eivers were visited for inspection. Hitherto it had been found almost impossible to visit these schools twice in one year. Last year, however, we managed to visit them for inspection about the beginning of February, and for examination towards the end of March. We were generally able to report in favourable terms on what we saw of the work of the schools at our inspection visits. Examination of Schools. —The following table summarises the examination results for each Standard, and for all the Standards, in the district :—

The following are the total examination results of the three Boman Catholic schools—Marist Brothers', Wanganui; St. Joseph's, Wanganui; and St. Joseph's, Hawera : Number on roll, 282; presented, 189; present, 174; failed, 22; passed, 152. The school at Palmerston, at the request of the teachers, was not examined this year. All the schools open for twelve months, with the exception of Halcombe, were examined during the course of the year. Halcombe School was closed at the date fixed for examination owing to an epidemic prevalent in the district. We propose to examine this school early in the present year. The number of schools examined was 129, the same number as that of the previous year. The total number on the rolls on the days of examination continues to increase, though at a slow rate. The increase for the past year was thirty-one. The numbers in the various classes, compared with those of the previous year, show increases in Standards VI., Standard 111., and the preparatory classes, but decreases in all the other classes. In Standard VI. the increase was sixty-seven. It is pleasing to note that the proportion between the number presented in Standards and the total number on the school rolls steadily increases. For the past year this

'or -en 'asses on Average Agi Classes. Presented. Present. Absent. Failed Passe* of those that passed. Number presented. Number examined. Yrs. mos. ibove Standard VI. Standard VI. V. ... IV. ... III. ... II. ... I. ... 'reparatory 145 573 980 1,317 1,486 1,357 1,277 3,226 552 942 1,263 1,443 1,320 1,238 21 38 54 43 37 39 91 134 155 200 91 111 461 808 1,108 1,243 1,229 1,127 80' 4 82'4 84T 83'6 90'5 88-2 83'5 85-7 87-7 86T 931 91-0 14 3 13 2 12 6 11 2 10 1 8 10 Totals ... 10,361 6,758 232 782' 5,976| 83-7 88-4 11 8* * Mean of averai ;e ai ;e.