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Fourteen schools have benefited by supplies from the Educational Depôt, to the amount of £17 16s. 5d.

OF THE SCHOOLS EXAMINED:—

Lyttelton Church of Eng. land School. Sept. 7, present 76, Improving.
Lyttelton Wesleyan School. „ 7, „ 32,
Kaiapoi Wesleyan „ „ 11, „ 35, Satisfactory.
Kaiapoi Church of Eng. „ „ 11, „ 32,
Woodend District „ „ 12, „ 53,
Rangiora „ „ „ 13, „ 63,
Saltwater Creek „ „ „ 14, wet day, „
Leithfield District School, Sept. 15 present 15, Very satisfactory as to the progress of the children, the furniture and arrangement of the school-room and dwelling-house, and the improved state of the premises.

St. Luke’s School, Christchurch, Sept. 18, presents 65, Satisfactory.
St. Andrew’s „ „ „ 19, „ 43, Satisfactory.
St. Michael’s „ „ „ 20 & 21 „ 158, Very satisfactory.
St. Paul’s „ Papanui „ 22, „ 52, Satisfactory.
Lincoln District „ „ 25, „ 8, Unsatisfactory.

Although the attainments of the children in the last named school, in biblical and secular knowledge, were not discreditable, yet the dissatisfaction of the parents on other grounds reduces the attendance, which will be much larger when the school is established on a more satisfactory footing. The out-door office is in a disgraceful state; the school is a mixed one. The master inhabits the school-room, which is also used as a place of worship.

Governor’s Bay School, Sept. 26, present 26, Very satisfactory.

Several children from Bays on the Lake Ellesmere side of the Peninsular, have acquired a very creditable degree of proficiency at this school. The standard of attainment is somewhat above the average. A very moderate charge has been made for boarders; the accommodation for them is inadequate.

The schools deserving more special recommendation are in the order of merit:—

St. Michael’s school.
Governor’s Bay school.
Leithfield school.
St. Luke’s school.
St. Andrew’s school.

The failure of a class in some elementary subject, in the other schools, has not been so glaring as to justify me in concluding that the general result was not satisfactory.

A quarterly course of inspection affords an opportunity of correcting defects before they have taken deep root, or become confirmed.

I have paid occasional visits to the schools in course of formation at Ferry-road and Avonside.

The details of each examination are entered in the Journal.

I have the honor to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

J. P. RESTELL,
Inspector of Schools.

BOARD OF EDUCATION.

(Quarter ending September, 1865.)

SUMMARY REPORT OF INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS.

To the Honorable H. J. Tancred, Chairman.

Sir,—I have the honor, in obedience to your instructions, to submit a tabular summary of the quarterly returns as to attendance and payment, and a schedule as to the efficiency of the schools examined, both for the quarter ending September 30.

It will be seen by the tabular summary that during the quarter the number of attendants in ordinary schools has been 1716, an increase of 62 upon the attendance in similar schools during the corresponding quarter of 1864.

The average attendance 1135, an increase of 85.

The amount of school fees £600 18s. 0d., an increase of £40 7s. 3d.

From the schedule as to efficiency, it will be seen that the number of schools examined has been 25, exclusive of visits to, or examinations of several schools not yet receiving aid from the Board.

The schools omitted were the Halswell school, closed for holidays at an unusual time, including the day appointed for examination; the Ashley Bank school, which I could not reach on account of heavy rain and a flood in the Ashley; the four schools in the Akaroa and Bays districts, for examination early in the ensuing quarter, and the Arowhenua school which I found, to use the Master’s own words, to be “defunct,” upon my arrival.

The number of children examined in ordinary schools aided by the Board was 1075.

The other schools visited or examined are in course of formation; they were