Peotestant Sunday Schools.

Very considerable attention is given by the ministers and members of the Protestant churches in Dunedin and suburbs, and indeed throughout the Provincial District, to the religious instruction of the young by means of Sunday Schools. With scarcely an exception every congregation maintains one or more schools of this kind.

There is a Sunday School Teachers' Union in connection with the Church of England, the office-bearers being the Eight Rev. Bishop Nevill, President; the Yen. Archdeacon Edwards, and the Revs. Messrs Fitchett and York, Vice-Presidents; Mr. W. A. W. Wathen, Hon. Secretary; Mr. H. Wilson, Hon. Treasurer; and a committee of seven members. The Union embraces the three city schools—St Pauls, All Saints, and St Matthews—and five suburban schools. Each clergyman takes a direct interest in the supervision of the school work of his parish. Circumstances have prevented information being obtained as to the number of teachers and scholars connected with each of these schools. The attendance at all of them is about 1500.

In April, 1888, the officers and teachers of the other Protestant denominations formed the Otago Sunday School Union, which has been affiliated with the London Sunday School Union. The office-bearers are: Mr John Keith, President; the Eevs. Messrs Baumber, Hilton, Porter, and Walker, and the Hon. Thomas Dick, Vice-Presidents; Mr W. A. Paterson, Hon. Treasurer; Messrs P. Barr, and D. E. Eunson, Hon. Auditors; Mr. W. T. Todd, Hon. Secretary, and an Executive of ten members including the President, &c. There are about 42 schools in Otago connected with the Union. They may be classified according to locality as follows:—

	Schools.	Teachers.	Scholars.
Dunedin City	11	292	2528
Dunedin suburbs	20	312	2745
Eemoter localities	11	154	1438
Total	42	758	6711

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There are schools in Dunedin, the suburbs, and remoter localities that are not associated with the Union. Circumstances have rendered it impossible to obtain full and reliable information regarding such schools. Returns received from ten of them in Dunedin and suburbs show 150 teachers and 1304 scholars.