[Appendix G.

E.—2.

organized concerts, socials, &c, and purchased either pianos or organs for their schools, and at the present time every school in the district above Grade 111 has the use of one of these instruments. It would be a boon to teachers in this district if the conditions attached to the annual grant for the teachers' training classes were extended or rearranged so as to allow of teachers' classes in this subject. _ ■ Promotion of Pupils.—ln schools under certificated teachers promotions in standard classes are almost invariably judiciously made; but in these same schools I have found pupils in the primer classes who could have passed Standard I with ease. There is no ground for—and, under existing circumstances, no compensatory gain in—retarding the progress of scholars in thisway. When a child is clearly capable of doing higher work it is a mistake to withhold it from him. _ Registration.—ln our larger schools mistakes or omissions in registers are rare, but in some of our smaller schools the registers are sometimes not fully posted up at my inspection visit Entries of the previous examination passes are not made in the registers, and occasionally a teacher is found who, after marking the register, " forgets " to enter the total for a day or two. With a view to correcting such absent-mindedness, all omissions of this nature are conspicuously mentioned in the school report, and a cure is usually speedily effected. Correspondence Classes.—The grant recently made by the Department was quickly taken advantage of by our teachers, and it is welcome news to them to know that the grant is to be continued for another year, as it is the only possible chance some_ of our back-country teachers have of obtaining the tuition necessary to enable them to obtain their certificate. Scholarship and Medal Competitions.—Greater interest has been taken this year in the competition for the Board and Junior National Scholarships. A large number of candidates presented themselves, and it is pleasing to note an increase in the percentage of marks gained as compared with previous examinations. The competition for the Seddon Memorial Medals was even keener than that for scholarships, the distinction of being the first in the district to gain the Seddon Medal being more eagerly coveted than even the winning of a scholarship. Environment.—Little has been done as yet in the way of beautifying school-grounds m this district. Two or three years ago suitable trees were supplied free to schools that desired them for planting, but in many cases these have been insufficiently protected, and have not received the attention and care they required. Much could be done by teachers in this matter. _ _ Secondary.—l have already presented a separate report on the work of the Grey District High School for the year. , . . Technical. —The following classes have been in operation at the Technical bchool during the year- Carpentering, Mr. J. Bavbutt; model and brush drawing, Mr. H. Bastings; shorthand, Miss Bell; cooking, Miss Blair (Grey District High School), Miss Duncan (Runanga), Miss Barnhill (Cobden) and Sisters of Mercy (Greymouth). Thanks to the Department's liberal assistance, the Board has been enabled to spend £100 in plastering the Technical School and providing heatino--apparatus; and the building is now comfortable, warm, and almost free from damp. General.—As I have already intimated, the work for the year has been generally satisfactory. Teachers have almost invariably done their very best to carry out instructions given. I have, &c, The Chairman, Education Board, Greymouth. E. A. Scott, Inspector.

WESTLAND. Sm _ Education Board Office, Hokitika, 30th January, 1912. I have the honour to present the report for the year 1911. The tabulated statement supplies a summary of the numbers and average of the pupils at the end of the school year. Of the pupils in standards, thirty-four received instruction in a lower standard in arithmetic, and four in a higher class in the same subject. While separate classification in arithmetic serves a good purpose in special cases, it has not always been employed as sparingly as it should be.

With reference to the conditions under which the work of the schools has been carried on, one of the most satisfactory is the regularity of the attendance. The percentage of the average roll reached by the average attendance is for the past year 902. Very little compulsion has been exercised, and" the regularity is due to the good spirit of work that pervades the schools. The

XLII

Classes. .. Number' on Roll. Present at the Average Age of Annual Pupils Examination, in each Class. Standard VII VI V IV III II I 'reparatory 41 77 81 124 122 128 114 449 36 72 72 117 118 122 112 404 i i Yrs. mos. 15 4 13 10 13 1 12 5 10 11 10 1 9 1 6 11 Totals ... 1,136 1,053 9 9