B.—_.

APPENDIX C.

REPORTS OF INSPECTORS OP SCHOOLS, 1911.

AUCKLAND. Sib, — Auckland Education Office, Auckland, 27th March, 1912. We have the honour to submit for the year 1911 our annual report on the public schools of the Auckland Education District, as well as on those private schools whose inspection was undertaken by the Board in compliance with clause 170 of the Education Act. At the close of the year the number of public schools in operation was 571, being an increase of 28 since the end of 1910. In general the new schools are small, and some of them are household schools. Nearly all schools were visited twice, with the exception of certain smaller schools where specially commendable work was in progress, and others whose inaccessibility rendered a second visit impossible in view of the pressure of work awaiting attention. Our thanks are due to Mr. C. K. Munro, who was good enough to leave his school and come to our aid during the last few months of the year. Mr. Munro brought energy, ability, and sound judgment to bear on the work of inspection, and rendered efficient and valuable service to the cause of education in the district. In addition to the above, 27 Roman Catholic diocesan schools, 5 other private schools, and the Anglican Orphan Home School were inspected. The following table is a summary of results for the whole district: —

This table shows an increase for the year of 2,757 on the roll number, and 2,613 on the number of pupils present at the annual examination. Both of these totals are considerably in advance of those obtaining at the close of 1910, and furnish unmistakable evidence of the steadyadvance made by settlement in many parts of the district. The difficulty of providing adequate and efficient instruction in outlying districts, where newly formed settlements have sprung up and where matters are further complicated by the absence of suitable roads —indeed, in some cases by the entire absence of roads —is very real and at times very pressing, and it says something for the desire of all concerned to place education facilities within reach of everybody that but few children in this large district live in such isolation as to be deprived altogether of the means of State education. The total enrolment of pupils in the Roman Catholic schools was 3,134, of whom 2,971 were present at the annual examination, both totals showing an increase when compared with those of last year. The number of pupils on the rolls of other private schools visited by us was 517. During the latter part of November and in December 2,326 candidates from the public schools sat for Standard VI certificates. Of these, 1,725, or 74 per cent., obtained certificates of proficiency, and 275, or 12 per cent., obtained certificates of competency. A comparison of this result' with that obtaining during 1910 shows a slightly higher percentage of successes amongst those securing certificates of proficiency, and a slightly lower percentage of those obtaining certificates of competency. From the Roman Catholic schools 152 candidates were presented for Standard VI certificates, and of these 99, or 65 per cent., obtained certificates of proficiency, and 33, or 22 per cent., obtained certificates of competency. In this case a comparison with the figures for 1910 shows that whereas fewer candidates entered for the examination last year, a considerably larger percentage obtained the higher certificate, a result which points either to more efficient instruction or to a more judicious selection of candidates. Compulsory Attendance. —The Act very properly requires every child between the ages of seven years and fourteen years who does not hold a certificate of exemption to have his name enrolled on the register of some public school, and to attend the school whenever it is open, In

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Classes. Number on Roll. Present at the Average Age Annual of Pupils Examination, in each Class. Standard VII ... VI ... V ... IV ... Ill ... II ... I ... Preparatory 154 2,364 3,500 4,224 4,722 5,043 5,313 17,064 113 2,219 3,416 4,117 4,616 4,893 5,092 15,771 Yrs. mos. 14 10 14 1 13 4 12 5 11 6 10 5 9 4 7 3 Totals 42,384 40,237 9 9