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rate of attendance for the year, 65 per cent, is
quite equal to that of the generality of our schools,
and the number of scholars over 12 has doubled
during the same period. Arithmetic is the strong
point of the school, great attention being evidently
paid to this branch. Map drawing is also success-
fully taught. But the reading and writing are of
barely average merit.

Waimea West North Division—Mr. Thorburn.—
Though the children attending this school are gener-
ally much younger than those who were present at
the previous annual examination, it is falling off
in any respect, except in the arithmetic of the
first class, which was sufficiently accounted for by
the fact that the average age of the present 1st class is
only 10. It is noticeable that writing is taught by
means of copies set by the master, and is of uniform
excellence. The daily attendance for the past year
having been under 30, no difficulty would be felt in
accommodating the additional numbers who might be
expected to attend here if my suggestion as to the
closing of Appleby school were adopted, but any
considerable increase of scholars would render the
appointment of an assistant teacher necessary.

Upper Moutere—Mr. and Mrs. Cook.—The at-
tendance here continues to be very large; I found
58 children present at my last visit. The withdrawal
of children from school at an earlier age than
formerly, tells against the more advanced classes,
particularly in arithmetic, in which branch I found
no scholar sufficiently advanced to attempt a simple
question in practice. I could detect, however, very
little falling off in reading, while there was a decided
improvement in penmanship. The discipline of the
school was, as usual, excellent.

Lower Moutere—Mr. Robson.—The daily attend-
ance here, which at one time fell off very rapidly,
has lately risen to 28, a number still below the
capabilities of the teacher. The increase in numbers
has, however, enabled him to double the number of
good readers, and to show marked progress in both
reading and arithmetic. The remarkably neat and
legible figures of the scholars are deserving of special
notice, because this, though apparently a minor point,
is really of more importance than the generality of
our teachers suppose, and is too often neglected. On
the whole, I think that the public will have little to
complain of when the bulk of the Provincial schools
attain the level of Lower Moutere.

Pangatotara—Mr. Brown.—In respect of attend-
ance this school stands lowest on the list, the average
during the past year being at the rate of only 42 per
cent. This will sufficiently account for the general
inferiority of the reading, while as to the
teacher's credit that the writing and arithmetic are,
in spite of so serious a drawback, of more than
average merit. Mental arithmetic is also well
taught.

Motueka, 1st Division—Mr. Bisley.—This school,
which always took a high rank, has certainly not lost
ground under the present master. The reading and
writing are creditable throughout, the arithmetic
being worthy of special praise. Collective lessons in
geography, grammar, and mental arithmetic are fre-
quently given to the whole school, with the best
results. It is to be regretted that this practice is not
more common. The management of the classes, and
the general discipline of the school are also excellent.

Motueka, 2nd Division—Mrs. Homann.—About
30 pupils who are, with few exceptions, 10 under nine
years of age, receive a good preparatory training for
the upper school in this division. The children
struck me as being very well behaved.

Riwaka—Mr. and Mrs. Severne.—Steady progress
has been made in this school since last year, a marked
improvement being discernible in the writing, which
was formerly very slovenly. Considerable attention
is still paid to arithmetic, which has long been suc-
cessfully taught at this school, and the advanced
scholars give ready and intelligent replies to questions
in geography and history. The younger children are
very carefully taught by Mrs. Severne.

Takaka—Mr. Hannay, assisted by Mrs. Beatson.
—The proportion of children who continue to attend
school after they are twelve years old is smaller here
than in any other of our country schools, a high
standard of attainment is not therefore to be looked
for. In every branch, however, the educational
returns for the present year compare favorably with
those for 1867, more especially in writing and arith-
metic. The first class now know something of
geography and history, subjects not attempted pre-
viously. The percentage of attendance, 67, is high,
when the state of the roads and the broken nature of
the country are taken into consideration. Want of
room materially interfered with the proper working
of the school at the time of my last visit, but a con-
siderable addition to the building has been made
since.

Motupipi—Mr. Robinson.—Only 14 children are
now in daily attendance at this, formerly one of the
most flourishing of our country schools. The decrease
in numbers took place, however, before the appoint-
ment of the present master, whose predecessor was
remarkably successful as a teacher. It is therefore
probably attributable to the movement of a consider-
able population higher up the valley. It is to be
hoped that the erection of a new schoolroom, distant
about a mile from the present building, and apparently
within easy reach of a large number of children of
school age, will tell favorably upon next year's re-
turns.

Long Plain—Miss Kearns.—This little school has
been unfortunate in losing the services of two teachers
within a comparatively short period. The young
children, who attend somewhat irregularly, have been
very well taught by their late mistress, whose resig-
nation is to be regretted.

Collingwood—Mr. Halcombe, assisted by Mrs.
Ellis.—The general tone of this school appeared to
me very good, on the my last visit, the children being
remarkably orderly and attentive. But, after due
allowance had been made for the small proportion of
children present above 12 years old, the attainments
of the scholars generally struck me as being much
below the average. I could find no readers or
writers who could fairly be classed as "good,"
comparatively few who came up to the standard
of "moderate," and not a single scholar who
could solve a question in proportion or practice.
The rate of attendance for the past year, 69 per
cent, is however, somewhat higher than that of the
majority of our schools.

Cobden—Mr. Ray.—Only a few weeks had elapsed
since the opening of this school when I visited it, but
I found it well organised and in good working order,
the teacher being thoroughly up to his work, and
having the advantage of previous experience. 46
children were present when the school was examined,
nearly all of whom were, as might be expected, very
backward.

Though I am conscious that in the foregoing des-
cription of the present condition of our Provincial
schools, I have not been able to avoid the tediousness
almost inseparable from a series of brief sketches
presenting no very striking variety of feature, yet I
venture to hope that I have made it abundantly clear
that we now number among our primary schools
several of undoubted excellence—a still larger
proportion that would be classed anywhere as good,