294

School (Ferry road).–This is a school held in a
cottage belonging to the mistress, the schoolroom is
14 x 12, the number of children 41—a number con-
siderably in excess of that which could properly be
accommodated within the space. There is also a
want of proper ventilation. A school somewhat
superior to the present is wanted in this district,
the present school, however, is a good one of its
class, though hardly equal to the instruction of the
older children.

3rd. Lincoln Presbyterian Mixed School.—This
school is held in a private house, one room of which
is used as a schoolroom; the master lodges with
the owner of the house.

The school appears to have been originally estab-
lished by the owner of the house for the benefit of
his own children, but Government aid has been
afforded on condition of the school being open to
other children in the neighbourhood. The number
on the books is 9, five of whom are from the neigh-
bourhood, and four are the children of the owner.

A site of two acres at the outskirts of the town
of Lincoln has been given as a private donation to
the Presbyterian Church.

II.—STATE OF EDUCATION.

In passing on to the second portion of the divi-
sion of their report relating to this province, the
Commission desire in the first place to submit the
following tables bearing upon the general subject of
education in Canterbury, which they have compiled
from different sources:—

Table showing according to the Census of Decem-
ber, 1861:—

1. The population in each Census District.
2. The number under 16 years of age.
3. The number at school.
4. The proportion under 16 of the whole popula-
   tion.
5. The proportion at day schools of the whole
   population.
6. The proportion at day schools of the population
   under 16.

It may be worth while here to give the proportion
of the population at school in the following countries:

In 1803, the proportion at school in England was ... 1 in 17.5
" 1808, " ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 in 17.25
" 1833, " ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 in 11.25
" 1851, " ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 in 8.6
" 1858, " ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 in 7.7

in Scotland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 in 10.
" Prussia ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 in 6.27
" Holland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 in 8.11
" France ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 in 9.
" Chili ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 in 45.
in other South American States ... ... ... 1 in 100.
In 1850, in the United States of America ... 1 in 5.7
" in the New England States ... ... 1 in 4.
" in New Brunswick ... ... ... ... 1 in 8.3
" in Nova Scotia ... ... ... ... ... 1 in 9.1
" in Prince Edward's Island ... ... 1 in 6.
In 1857, in New South Wales ... ... ... ... 1 in 10.
" 1862 (Sept.), in Otago ... ... ... ... 1 in 11.7.

The following table gives the total number of
children in all schools receiving Government aid,
according to their ages:—

Table shewing the total number of scholars on
the books in all schools receiving Government aid,
according to their religious denomination:—

The following table exhibits the subjects taught
in the several schools receiving Government aid, and
the proportion of children receiving instruction in
each subject:—

• Of girls: The total number of girls on the books
  being 605; of boys, 1046.

In the table shewing the subjects taught, it will be
observed that the numbers receiving religious in-
struction are given as being 95.8 per cent of the
whole number attending school. The proportion
not receiving such instruction may be accounted for
by the fact that some children are sent to school to
be kept out of the way, and are so young as to be
hardly capable of receiving any instruction at all.