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be necessary for those to whom the distribution of the public grant is intrusted to be on the watch for any such symptom, and they will look to you to draw attention to its existence, and to keep it in view in the rate of grant which you recommend." The teachers in the Old Country have proved themselves worthy of the trust reposed in them, and we feel assured that in this district we have a school staff as capable and as faithful as can be found anywhere. Should such breaches of trust occur, the Inspectors have ample opportunity to discover them, and the Board can effectively deal with them.

Table A.—Showing Efficiency in Terms of Standard Passes.

For the purpose of comparison we have placed in parallel columns the statistics relating to standard passes in 1899 and 1900 —the one set under the old regulations, the other under the new. Except in Standards 111. and V., there is but little difference in the average age of those who passed. In Standard VI. there is apparently a serious fall in efficiency. The decline, however, is only apparent, the difference between the results being due to difference in examination conditions. Under the old regulations, a pupil might fail entirely in one subject and yet receive a pass certificate ; under the new, failure in one subject entailed failure to pass the standard. On the other hand, if in five of the seven pass-subjects a pupil met the Sixth Standard test, and in the other two the Fifth Standard test, he received a Sixth Standard pass certificate. The greater number of those who failed to pass failed in Sixth Standard arithmetic ; they were then examined in Fifth Standard arithmetic, but most of them failed in this also. Had these pupils been taught Fifth Standard arithmetic, as provided for by regulations, they probably would have passed. This re-examination of pupils is not specified by the regulations, but it may be implied, and unless forbidden we shall again do it in the examinations of 1901. Our efficiency-marks show that the Sixth Standard has fully maintained the status of 1899. The results in the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Standards indicate that the difficulty of the testhas been diminished. By the exclusion of geography and drawing the pass-subjects were reduced from seven to five. Weakness in reading, including comprehension of the matter read, was not allowed; but, on the other hand, a pupil passed his standard if he met the test of the lower standard in two ,out of the four other pass-subjects. Permission to pass a pupil in a standard which he had already passed still further raised the pass percentage. In the First and Second Standards the difficulty of the test has been increased. " Failure " was not allowed in any of the pass-subjects, and weakness was not allowed in reading; but a pupil, though weak in one of the three other pass-subjects, was not allowed to pass. In both stands the pass percentage was brought down.

Table B.—Showing Efficiency-marks in Subjects. Pass-subjects.

Class-subjects.

Presented. Present. Passed. Percentage of Passes. Average Age of those that passed. lasses. 1899. 1900. 1899. 1900. 1899. 1900. 1899. 1900 1899. 1900. i Above Standard VI. Standard VI. V. ... IV. ... III. ... | II. ... I. ... Preparatory 565 483 1,508 1,474 2,167 2,039 2,562 j 2,633 2,784 I 2,691 2,492 2,531 2,336 2,215 6,279 6,440 1,462 2,105 2,470 2,676 2,443 2,266 1,422 1,986 2,588 2,635 2,491 2,193 1,291 1,688 2,000 2,241 2,367 2,252 i 1,030 88'3 1,650 80-2 2,252' 80-9 2,277! 83-7 2,280! 96-9 2,117! 99-4 72-4 83'0 87-0 86-4 91-5 96-5 'Yrs. mos. | Yrs. mos. 13 7 I 13 7 12 5 12 10 12 0 11 10 10 3 10 11 9 6 9 6 8 6 8 8 Totals ... 20,693 20,506 * Me 13,422 13,315 11,839 Ill, 606 88-2* 86-0* 11 0-5+i 11 at :an perci mtage. r Mean ( >f average ages.

I Reading. Spelling. ■■ Satisfactory. Good. Writing. Good. I I I . j Drawing. : Arithmetic. Composition. Geography. Mean Result. _J I i_ Good. Satisfactory. Fair. Fair. Satisfactory. I

Grammar. Fair. ! History. Satisfactory. I ~~ " " I ~ I Obieot-lessons and « ,, , in. Science. , Recitation of Poetry. Satisfactory. Satisfactory. _ _ I Mean Result. Satisfactory.