E.—l

XV

In some districts holders of Education Board scholarships are received into the high schools without payment of fees; in other districts they have to pay high-school fees out of their scholarship money. Disteict High Schools. Kepresentations having been made to the Department that some of the Education Boards found a difficulty in carrying on the secondary work of the district high schools without intrenching upon the funds for primary education, a vote was taken in the last session of Parliament to provide the money for the additional staff required for the secondary work in such schools. In accordance with a circular issued to Education Boards on the Bth January, 1901, £30 per annum is granted to each district high school having not less than twelve pupils taking a full secondary course, together with a capitation of £2 per annum on each pupil. If the Board elects to charge no fees, an additional payment of £4 per pupil is made —that is, an amount of £6 per pupil in all is paid, in addition to the statutory capitation allowance of £3 15s. The two chief conditions attached to these grants are : (1) That all pupils on account of whom such grants are made shall have passed Standard VI., and (2) that they shall be taught in separate classes by properly qualified teachers. By this means free secondary education may be afforded, at a comparatively small cost to the colony, in all places where it is found possible to establish a district high school. It is proposed, in drawing up new regulations, to provide some degree of secondary education for the pupils of Standard VII. in places that are too small for the establishment of such schools. It does not seem desirable, generally speaking, to set up district high schools in towns that already have recognised secondary schools, as the overlapping that would be introduced would be unnecessary and expensive. The question is more fully discussed in the report of the Inspector-General on secondary schools and secondary education (E.-12). Training of Teachees. The vote for the training of teachers, increased last year from £600 to £1,000, was divided equally between the Normal Schools at Christchurch and Dunedin. In other districts, notably at Napier, attempts have been made to provide in some degree for the training of teachers ; but, taking the colony as a whole, the provision made for this important need seems to fall short of what is adequate. The Inspectors' conference, and the teachers of the colony, through the New Zealand Educational Institute, have alike asked for the establishment of training colleges or technical schools for teachers. To such colleges it would obviously be fair that candidates from all parts of the colony should be admitted on equal terms; and, further, if it be found too expensive to provide thus for the training of all teachers, supplementary means should be adopted, as suggested in last year's report, for giving a regular course of training to teachers not attending these colleges. Pending a final solution of the question, the need for training teachers in the handwork prescribed for "school classes" under "The Manual and Technical Instruction Act, 1900," has been met temporarily by grants to the Boards for this purpose, amounting in all to £1,875, out of the vote for manual and technical instruction, by grants of apparatus and material for teachers'classes, and by the concession of free railway passes to enable teachers to attend the instruction given thereat. Cadet Cobps. When last year's report was printed 1,011 model rifles had been distributed amongst the Education Boards and 100 to the industrial schools at Burnham and Caversham. There have been distributed since: Auckland, 1,350; Taranaki, 20 ; Wanganui, 385 ; Wellington, 304 ; Hawke's Bay, 307 ; Westland, 50. The industrial school at Nelson has received. 50, and the the Native school at Waimana 36. The total number distributed up to the present time is therefore 3,613 " The Defence Act Amendment Act, 1900," makes the following provision for cadet corps : —