69

E.—l.

heed of the column on education. So far as the Education Department's figures are concerned it may safely be asserted that no individual student is entered more than once, although he may have been in attendance at several different classes. In order to get at the root of the disparity, if possible, the Department has made a careful analysis of the figures set down in census Table VII, wherein the same particulars are given for the various boroughs, and in every case has found that the figures supplied by the local authorities are much in excess of the census figures. The comparatively slight disparity in the primary figures, less than 1 per cent., is no doubt due partly to a falling-ofi in attendance at the beginning of a new quarter. Efficient home instruction is a ground of exemption from attendance at school. Probably a considerable number of the 4,848 children returned as receiving home instruction were too young to be sent to school; in some cases, in sparsely populated districts, the school is too far away; while in still other cases parents consider, no doubt quite rightly, that the child will benefit more by parental teaching than by instruction with others in a class-room. (c.) Increase in Attendance during Forty Years. Attending Attending all Government other Schools Taught at Primary and Home. Schools. Universities. (1.) (2.) (3.) 1871 .. .. .. .. .. 14,953 16,757 1878.. .. .. .. .. 62,866 14,611 9,706 1886 .. 110,644 14,948 7,567 1911.. .. .. 154,152 33,465 4,848 Column I.—The effect of the passing of the Education Act, 1877, is here very clearly shown. The numbers in attendance at primary schools to-day are over ten times as great as forty years ago. Column 2. —Prior to the passing of the Education Act many children were taught privately. In fifteen years, in spite of the enormous increase in population, the number attending schools other than primary fell off to the extent of almost 2,000. In recent years, the facilities for free education at secondary schools and technical day schools has resulted in an enormous increase in the numbers attending. Column 3. —The number of children taught at home has fallen in accordance with the increase in the number taught in primary schools.