E.—lb.

dates nominated presented themselves, the others being disqualified by age. The candidates present were nominated by the head teachers of the following schools : Blenheim Boys' School, 3 ; Blenheim Girls', 3; Renwick, 2; Tuamarina, 1; Havelock Suburban, 1; Onamalutu, 2. The candidates who qualified by gaining 60 per cent, (or upwards) of the possible marks were only five in number. Last year nine out of twenty qualified, so that the proportion is nearly the same, or about 3 per cent, less this year. The average age of those who qualified this year is about five months more than the corresponding average for last year, while the average percentage of marks gained is about 10 per cent, higher this year than it was in 1901. The unqualified candidates this year gained a rather smaller percentage of marks than those of last year. The candidate at the head of the list comes from the Havelock Suburban School, and it is worthy of special notice that a scholar from this school occupied the same honourable position last year. The scholarships available this year are : One country scholarship of £35 per annum ; two town scholarships of £10 per annum; two free places or junior statutory scholarships. All these are tenable for two years. The number of qualified candidates is therefore just sufficient to absorb all the available prizes. The work of successful candidates was very creditable, and remarkably even throughout. Only two cases of marks falling below 50 per cent, occurred out of forty, and one of these was only slightly below half-marks. In the two "toughest" subjects the highest marks in arithmetic were gained by a girl from the Blenheim School, and the highest in grammar by one from the Renwick School, who also gained full marks in history. The recent regulations for giving free places to all scholars who have passed the Sixth Standard, if adopted by the Governors of the Marlborough High School, will render necessary some alteration in the Education Board's Scholarship Regulations, always supposing that the present scholarship grant to Education Boards is continued. The free places offered by the Department would be practically useless to most country scholars; and, since all town scholars would be entitled to claim free admission to the High School upon passing Standard VI., it might be considered advisable to devote the scholarships grant to country scholarships only. I have, &c, The Chairman, Education Board, Blenheim. John Smith, Inspector.

Summary of Results for the Whole District.

NELSON. Sir,— Nelson, 27th January, 1903. We have the honour to present the following report on the schools of the Nelson Education District for the year 1902 : — During the last quarter of the year 123 schools were at work, and of these all but four small household schools have been examined. Owing to a misunderstanding, the children of one of these latter were not brought to the nearest district school for examination; the children of the second failed to attend owing to the inclemency of the weather; the third had been but recently established ; and the fourth was closed at the time of the examination. One other school, closed during the fourth quarter, had been examined earlier in the year. New household schools have been established at Doctor's Creek and the Lighthouse. Those at Cable Bay and Taitapu had a brief existence, and the Maruia, already referred to, has been closed but recently. The following private schools have also been examined : St. Canice's, Westport; the Sacred Heart, Reefton ; Whakarewa Home and Miss Deck's, Motueka. Infirmity of health caused Mr. Ladley's retirement from the inspectorate early in the year, and Mr. Strachan was appointed in his stead. Since the latter did not take up his new duties till May, the whole of the work of inspection could not be undertaken ; nevertheless, seventy-nine schools, including all the larger ones, were visited. The average weekly number on the rolls for the September quarter was 5,668, or twelve lower than that recorded last year. At the time of our examinations the number on the rolls was actually higher than that for the corresponding time in 1901 ; it is therefore probable that the annual decrease regularly reported since 1897 will soon cease. There are indications of growth of juvenile population in some parts of the district, and the slackening of the downward impulse is of happy augury for the future. The greatest increase is

28

Classes. "umber on Roll. Present at Inspector's Annual Visit. Passed. Average Age of the Pupils in each Glass. Standard VII. VI. V. IV. ■ „ III. II. I. Preparatory... 64 153 222 266 260 238 235 546 49 147 210 258 259 235 231 535 104 176 239 238 220 215 Yrs. mos. 14 11 14 2 13 1 11 11 10 11 9 6 8 8 7 0 Totals ... 1,984 1,924 1,192 11 3* !ean of average ,ge.