E.—l.

The number of small schools with an average attendance not exceeding twenty shows a further increase of 22 for 1906 ; the number, which was 562 for 1905, was 584 for 1906. The number of pupils attending these schools has increased by 282 —namely, from 7,062 to 7,344. During the year 1906, 70 schools were closed—viz., in Auckland, 13 ; Taranaki, 1 ; Wanganui, 8 ; Wellington, 5 ; Hawke's Bay, 4 ; Marlborough, 9 ; Nelson, 11 ; Grey, 3 ; Westland, 1 ; North Canterbury, 5 ; South Canterbury, 1 ; Otago, 2 ; Southland, 7. As was the case in previous years, several of these schools, although reckoned as closed in their original form, were reopened in another ; thus some were amalgamated, whilst others which had been joined as half-time schools became fulltime schools. Including such reopened schools, the total number opened during the year was 111, distributed as follows : Auckland, 31 ; Taranaki, 5 ; Wanganui, 9 ; Wellington, 2 ; Hawke's Bay, 12 ; Marlborough, 16; Nelson, 7 ; Grey, 1 ; Westland, 1 ; North Canterbury, 3 ; South Canterbury, 3 ; Otago, 10 ; Southland, 11. The net increase in the number of schools opened at the end of the year is thus 41, as shown in Table Al.

TABLE A.—Number of Schools, December, 1906.

School Attendance. The total average attendance for the year was 121,958. In 1903 the attendance fell below the number for the preceding year, but it has since shown a yearly increase. In 1904 the increase was 3,459, in 1905 it was 3,759, and last year it was 1,693. Table Bl shows the average attendance for the year in each of the education districts, and also the regularity of attendance of the pupils.

IV

Grade {with attendance constituting Grade). -3 a 1 3 a 0 Hi cd c8 a H 5 a a OJO a ed rS r-1 O .3 >. at PQ to _ 5 CO B •a 3 O tH o fl "3 a a 0 o T3 O a £ _ flS 3 o -A M -fl S3 b «_ _ -a a cd 3 a o 173 hi O . S3 cn a s 3 2 _ o u 9 S3 i_ as ~.s O EH 6 i o 0 (1-15) .. 1 (16-20) .. 2 (21-25) .. 3 (26-32) .. 4 (33-40) .. 5 (41-50) .. 6 (51-60) .. 7 (61-75) .. 8 (76-90) .. 9 (91-120).. 10 (121-150).. 11 (151-200).. 12 (201-250).. 13 (251-280).. 14 (281-330).. 15 (331-390).. 16 (391-420).. 17 (421-480).. 18 (481-510).. 19 (511-570).. 20 (571-600).. 21 (601-660).. 22 (661-690).. 23 (691-750).. 24 (751-780).. 25 (781-840).. 26 (841-870).. 27 (871-930).. 28 (931-960).. 30 (Over 1,020) 60 48 64 61 47 42 18 13 13 12 6 9 5 8 5 3 1 2 1 2 1 1 3 3 1 9 6 13 11 12 7 6 3 38 22 16 15 14 26 12 8 6 8 3 5 8 2 2 3 26 18 16 13 9 18 12 5 8 11 3 4 3 26 6 12 4 5 7 6 7 8 7 3 3 44 6 2 3 3 1 2 2 37 12 15 5 10 9 3 4 5 2 1 1 13 3 4 1 2 2 17 3 4 3 32 25 22 21 18 21 6 12 4 14 4 4 4 3 1 1 2 3 9 9 13 15 3 8 5 2 4 1 39 25 29 24 18 13 16 11 8 9 6 5 3 3 4 1 4 1 1 4 1 1 1 26 25 17 29 16 11 10 4 3 8 5 3 2 2 1 376 208 223 208 156 160 101 71 55 80 34 39 21 18 17 16 10 13 2 11 5 5 6 5 1 3 203 359 219 357 168 144 79 66 39 38 25 26 9 11 8 12 4 14 5 9 2 6 1 "3 5 2 2 1 1 1 1 "l 1 2 1 "2 2 4 2 2 1 2 1 "l . 1 i "l 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 "l 1 1 1 1 1 "l 1 2 1 "2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Totals, 1906 .. Totals, 1905 .. 424* 406 77f 73 1851 184 151 154 102 94 68 61 108 112 30 32 32 32 203} 205 76 74 227 219 164f 160 1,847 1,806 1,806 Difference 18 4 1 -3 8 7 -4 -2 -2 2 8 4 41 * Includes 78 schools, counted nart-tij a,s 1. ie sehoc ils, counted as 39. t Includes 0 pi trt-time schoi >ls, com ited as 3. t Includ, is 2 part-time