8.—3

3

Of the 117 Native village schools, fifty-one gained over 90 per cent, in regularity of attendance, while fourteen failed to reach 80 per cent. [When the peculiar conditions attaching to Native schools are borne in mind, the attendance at the schools must be considered very satisfactory. The number of pupils on the rolls of the Native mission schools at the end of 1915 was 141, and on the rolls of Native boarding-schools 421. The total number of children on the roll, at the end of the year, of Native village, mission, and boarding-schools visited and inspected by the Inspectors of this Department was therefore 5,753. The following are the figures for the years 1914 and 1915 in respect of the three classes of Native schools mentioned : — 1914. 1915. Combined rolls of Native schools .. .. .. .. 5,634 5,753 Combined average weekly roll number .. .. .. 5,590 5,773 Combined average yearly attendance .. .. .. 4,871 5,119 Percentage of regularity of attendance .. .. .. 87 - l 88'7 The increase in the development of the Native village schools since the year 1881, when they were transferred to the control of this Department, is shown in the following table :—

Native Village Schools, Number, Attendance, and Teachers.

It will be seen from the foregoing table that the number of schools in 1915 is almost double that in 1881, and the average attendance has more than trebled. In this comparison no account is taken of a number of schools that have from time to time been transferred to the various Education Boards during the period covered by the table. Table H2 in the Appendix supplies detailed information in regard to the roll number and average attendance. In addition to the Maori children in attendance at the schools specially instituted for Natives as shown above, there were 4,731 Natives attending public schools at the 31st December, 1915, as compared with 4,905 in 1914. Half-caste children and children intermediate in blood between half-caste and Maori are reckoned as Maori. Details as to age and classification are given in Table Hsa in the Appendix. The total number of children of Maori or of mixed race on the rolls of primary Native schools, public schools, Native mission schools, and secondary Native schools, together with such pupils as were receiving special technical training, at the end of the year 1915 was as follows :— I. Primary schools— (a.) Government Native schools .. .. .. 4,643 (b.) Mission schools .. .. .. .. .. 141 (c.) Public schools .. .. .. .. .. 4,731 ■ 9,515 11. Secondary sohools .. .. . . .. .. .. 428 111. Special technical training .. .. .. .. .. 2 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,945

Year. Number 0' Mphii of Average Schools aw„_ Attendance: at End weVklyToll. |™ e Year. I i Average Attendance as Percentage of Weekly Boll. Number ot Teachers. Teachers in Charge. Assistant Teachers. Sewingmistresses Male. Female. Male. Female. Z T-j 54 6 .. 4 48 60 9 .. 26 30 59f 8t 1 26 3 7 64f lit •• 61 16 77+ 20t .. 83 11 82t 18+ 2 105 3 86 I 22 4 122 : 2 86 21 4 118 4 87 27 4 122 3 81 33 7 123 1881 .. 1886 .. 1891 .. 1896 .. 1902 .. 1907 .. 1912 .. 1913 . . 1914 .. 1915 .. 60 .. 1,406 .. 69 2,343 2,020 60 2,395 I 1,837 .. j 74 2,874 2,220 .. I 98* 3,650 3,005 .. ! 99 4,321' 3,561 .. ! 108 4,644 4,042 . . I 107 4,835 4,142 .. j 115 5,053 4,385 .. j 117 5,232 4,004 86-2 76-7 77-3 82-3 82-4 87 85-7 86 7 88-0 * Includes two subsidized schools. t Includes two teachers jointly in charge of one school.