8.—2.

[Appendix C.

The numbers on the rolls in the various classes, the numbers present at the annual examination, and the average ages of the pupils in attendance were as follows : —

Making a grand total of 184 schools in operation during the year, with 19,854 pupils on the roll, and 19,122 present at the annual examination. , The following tables give particulars of the increase or decrease in each standard of the public schools taken as a whole and compared with 1911 ; also a comparison of the average ages of the pupils of the Wellington District and of the Dominion : —

Percentage of children in preparatory classes—Dominion, 37*3 ; Wellington, 34*6. The increase in the roll number of the district, though very gradual, is consistent, as the figures for the last five years will show, — Year. Roll. Increase. 1907 .. .. .. .. .. 16,936 1908 .. .. .. .. .. 17,416 480 1909 .. .. .. .. .. 17,761 345 1910 .. .. .. .. .. 17,893 132 1911 .. .. .. .. 18,089 196 1912 .. .. .. .. .. 18,379 290 Total for five years .. .. 1,443

XVI

Classes. Number on Roll. Present at the Annual Examination. Average Age of Pupils in each Class. 170 Public SchoolsStandard VII VI V IV III II I Preparatory 301 1,464 1,746 1,932 2,293 2,081 ■2,202 6,360 290 1,445 1,699 1,879 2,252 2,089 2,135 5,985 Yrs. mos. 15 1 13 10 12 11 12 0 11 0 9 10 '8 10 6 11 Totals 18,379 17,714 9 9 Fourteen Catholic SchoolsStandard VII VI V IV III II I 40 81 115 191 174 156 189 529 40 78 112 183 168 154 181 492 14 14 13 12 11 10 9 6 5 1 4 5 7 5 3 4 Preparatory Totals 1,475 1,408 9 9

Year. a , , Prepara- j Standard Standard | Standard Standard Standard Standard Standard Schools. . j n ln jy y yl vn I Total. 1912 1911 170 169 6,360 6,262 2,202 2,082 2,081 | 2,19!) 2,293 2,034 1,932 1,979 1,746 1,749 1,464 1,478 301 306 18,379 18,089 1 ■ + 1 + 98 + 120 -118 -118 | +259 -47 -3 -14 -5 +290 + 269 -47 .1 .1 r Average Ages. Prepara- Standard tory. I. Standard Standard Standard ' Standard Standard Standard II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. Yrs. [mos. Yrs.J mos. (ominion, 1911 7 ' 1 9 1 Wellington, 1912 j 6 11 8 10 Yrs. mos. Yrs. mos. Yrs. mos. ! Yrs. mos. Yrs. mos. Yrs. mos. 10 2 11 3 12 2 13 2 13 11 15 0 9 10 11 0 12 0 12 11 13 10 15 1