239

No. of Educable children within School Districts... 2295
Do. without School Districts... 364
Total educable children... 2,659

No. of Pupils in ordinary attendance at Government Schools... 910
Do. at other Schools... 428
Total at Schools... 1338
No. of Pupils who have attended for a short period during last year... 339
No. of educable children who have not attended at all... 982
Total... 2,659

It would thus appear that the proportion of children who received school instruction for longer or shorter periods during the past year, to the whole population, exclusive of the Gold-fields, was 1 in 9.4, or about 63 per cent. of the whole educable children; while the number in ordinary attendance in September, 1862, was 1 in 11.7, or about 56 per cent. of the whole educable children. Within the limits of the educational districts the corresponding proportions would be about 1 in 8, or 72 per cent, and 1 in 9.6, or about 57 per cent.

Causes of Non-attendance.

It is to be borne in mind that several of the more recently settled educational districts are of considerable extent, and that there are many families resident within their limits whose children cannot possibly attend any existing school. The unsettled and very exceptional condition of the population at the present time must be taken into account in forming an opinion respecting the school attendance. A reference to the returns will show that in the older and more densely peopled districts, such as Anderson's Bay, Green Island, East Taieri, &c., whose population has been less affected by recent events, the proportion of children in ordinary attendance to the whole population is equal to that of the best educated countries in Europe.*

It may be necessary to explain that the comparatively large attendance at N. E. Valley school is owing to its proximity to the northern parts of Dunedin, in which there has been a very inadequate supply of school accommodation.

Lower Waipori and Blueskin.

A memorial has been presented by the settlers of Lower Waipori, craving the formation of that locality into a separate Educational district. It has been ascertained that there are already about fifty children under 14 years of age resident within reach of the proposed school, of whom there are about twenty-five between 5 and 14 years. As the land in the neighborhood has been recently surveyed and the greater part of it already sold, there is reason to believe that the population of the district will be much increased in the course of a few years. A similar application has been made by the settlers in the vicinity of Blueskin Bay where there are now resident upwards of thirty children, between the ages of 5 and 15 years, who are entirely without the means of school education. A large area of agricultural land in this district has now been purchased, and is in the course of being occupied; and as there is a prospect of the Main North Road, which traverses the district, being completed thus far ere long, this locality will probably contain at no distant period a very considerable population. It is therefore respectfully submitted that the Education Board will be fully warranted in sanctioning the formation of the localities of Lower Waipori and Blueskin into separate Educational Districts.

Taieri Beach and Greytown.

Applications have also been made by the settlers resident at Taieri Beach and in the neighborhood of Greytown (Scrogg's Creek) respectively, for the establishment of schools in those localities. As the number of educable children residing within reach of the proposed schools is as yet limited, and as there is no immediate prospect of a large increase of population, it is respectfully recommended that side schools only should be provided at present.

Dunedin.

The Secretary, in common with the existing school committees of North and South Dunedin Districts, has had under careful and anxious consideration the best means whereby elementary school education could be placed within the reach of the children residing in all parts of Dunedin. The extent and the present and prospective population of the city, the separation of the southern from the central portion by the deep ravine at Maclaggan

• "The progress (in the amount of education) reported to have been made (in England) in the last 50 years, is from 500,000 to 2,500,000, or from 1 in 17 of the population to 1 in 7 -- an enormous stride. In France, the proportion of children receiving instruction is 1 in 9; in Holland, 1 in 8; and the slight superiority of Prussia, where the proportion is 1 in 6, is dearly bought by her compulsory system of schooling." -- Quarterly Review, January, 1862.