23

E.—2

TABLE A. —Number of Children for each Year of Age between Five and Eight Years Old, (1) in the Population, (2) attending Public Schools (excluding Maoris).

It is obvious, therefore, that we cannot look to the possible causes (1) and (3) for an explanation of the. matter. No. (2) only partly accounts for the increases in the preparatory classes, and it remains to examine No. (4). In December. 1905. there were nearly :i.<>( ><) children less in the preparatory classes than there were children under eight years of age attending school (36.823, as against 39,781); whereas in 1910 the number of children in the preparatory classes exceeded the number under eight years of age attending school by over 8,000 (55,563, as against 47,263).

TABLE B. —Number of Children between Five and Eight Years of Age and between Twelve and Fifteen Years of Age in the Population and on the Rolls of Public Schools, and Number in Preparatory Classes (excluding Maoris).

From the above table it will be seen that the increases are as follows : — Population between five and eight .. .. .. 7,142, or 13-5 per cent. On the rolls between five and eight .. .. .. 7,482, or 18-8 per cent. In preparatory classes .. .. .. .. 18,740, or 50-9 per cent. The average ages of the pupils in Standard I and Standard VI respectively in December of the last five years have been as follows (in years and months) :— 1906. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. Standard I .. .. ..90 91 93 92 92 Standard VI .. .. .. 13 9 13 10 14 0 13 11 14 0

Deci December, 1906. jember, 1905. D« December, 1910. member, 1910 0. _ Age, Years. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. . , 6-6 ' 9,487 6-7 9,300 I.) Population .. .. .. 7-8 8,973 ( 5-8 27,760 9,256 18,743 10,748 8,841 18,141 10,508 8,717 17,690 10,156 , 26,814 54,574 31,412 10,521 10,051 9,932 30,504 21,269 20,559 20,088 61,916 30,604 61,916 I 5-6 r>,719 1 fi-7 7,193 |2.) Attending public schools .. .. 7-8 7,804 5,178 10,897 6,725 ii,539 13,732 8,959 7,348 15,152 n,048 6,055 8,132 8,344 6,055 8,132 8,344 12,780 17,091 17,392 12,780 17,091 17,392 1 5-8 20,716 19,065 39,781 24,732 24,732 22,531 22,531 47,263 47,263 I 5-0 60-3 '■>.) Number attending public schools (2), expressed 6—7 77-8 us percentage of population 7-8 87-0 55-8 581 62-6 740 75-7 85-3 84-3 85-7 89-1 62-6 85-3 89-1 57-5 80-9 840 57-5 80-9 840 60-1 831 86-6 60-1 831 86-6 ( 5-8 74-6 711 72-9 78-7 78-7 73-9 73-9 76-3 76-3 !_

December, 1905. December, 1910. December, 1910. Increase per cent., 1905-10. Boya. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Oirla. Total. ;i.) Number of population between five 27,700 26,814 54,574 31,412 30,504 01,916 13-2 13-8 13-5 and eight years of age [2.) Number of children attending public 20,710 19,005 39,781 24,732 22,531 47,263 19-4 18-2 188 schools between five and eight years of agr ,3.) Number of children in the prepara- 19,580 17,243 36,823 29,479 26,084 55,563 50-5 51-3 r>09 tory cl'isses of the public schools ;4.) Number of population between 20,031 25,520 51,557 29,544 29,084 ' 58,628 13-5 139 137 twelve and fifteen years of age [6.) Number attending public schools 10,271 14,382 30,05:! 18,480 10,070 I 35,102 13-6 15-9 147 between twelve and fifteen years of age