E.—2.

[Appendix C.

a phase of the work that is not receiving its due share of attention at the hands of the teachers. Observation, drawing, and manipulation must be supplemented by oral expression of what is to be done, how it is to be done, and why it is to be done, before manual training produces its full educative result. In order that the benefits of instruction in woodwork and cookery might be extended to pupils in the rural schools in North Otago, the Department sanctioned full day courses ,in-these branches for that centre. This enabled the Board to engage additional teachers for these subjects and at the same time to extend the instruction to pupils in some of our southern schools. We wish to express our gratitude to the Inspector-General for his personal interest and valuable advice in connection with this movement. In a number of our schools members of the Defence Force have co-operated with our teachers in doing good work in drill, physical exercises, and breathing-exercises; but the full hygienic result cannot be produced unless parents insist on such habitual home practice of the free and breathing exercises as is impossible in school owing to limitation of time and opportunity. In all our schools these exercises are taught; but we repeat that "too seldom do we find them employed incidentally 7 to relieve position or to introduce desirable variety during the progress of ordinary work." Mr. Hawcridge, of the School of Art, examined the drawing of the proficiency candidates, and his report on the various batches of papers shows that steady improvement is being made in this subject. As too little attention is being paid by teachers to object-drawing, arrangements will shortly be made for Saturday classes in this subject. A similar remark applies to instrumental drawing, which has such an important bearing on the woodwork of the boys. Throughout the district the order, tone, and discipline of the schools are good, and the teachers are rendering faithful service to the Board and to the pupils under their charge. During the year we have frequently called upon teachers to take up work that lay outside their ordinary duties, and in every case they have met us with a cheerfulness and readiness that show most convincingly that they are ready to spend and be spent in the interests of their pupils and of their fellow-teachers. In this connection we have to express our high appreciation of the services rendered by city and suburban teachers at the manual training centres and in the teachers' training-classes held throughout the year. We have, ore, C. R. Richardson,' C. R. Bossence, T J. R, Don, Inspectors. J. Robertson, The Secretary, Otago Education Board.

SOUTHLAND. Sir, — Education Board Office, Invercargill, 26th March, 1912. We have the honour to present our report on the schools of the district for the year ended 31st December, 1911. The following table gives particulars as to number on roll, classification, and ages : —

As 1911 marks the beginning of a new decade, it may be interesting to mark the progress made in attendance during the last ten years, both in regard to actual increase and to regularity. The number of schools under the Board's jurisdiction was —in 1901, 149; in 1906, 168; and in 1911, 173; thus showing a total increase for the period of 24 schools. The number on the roll was 9,394 in 1901, 9,653 in 1906, and 10,819 in 1911, an increase for the first half of the period of 259, and for the second half of 1,166. The fact that the number of schools has not increased -pari passu with the increase in attendance is possibly explained by two considerations : the present condition of the district does not call for such a large proportion of aided schools as formerly, and the increase in attendance has mostly 7 benefited previously 7 existing schools.

LIV

Classes. Number on Roll. ; Present at the ■ Average Age of Annual the Punils I Examination. | in each Class. Standard VII VI V IV III II I Preparatory 63 748 984 1,134 1,280 1,279 1,367 3,964 Yrs. mos. 55 14 1 728 13 11 942 13 0 1,098 12 2 1,217 11 2 1,224 10 1 1,295 9 0 3,678 6 10 Totals 10,819 10,237 l_ 9 8