7

E.—6

(ii.) Education Board Scholarships. —The scholarship funds of the Boards are provided by grants which, although not statutory, are of old standing, and amount to Is. 6d. per head of the average attendance. The conditions of the scholarships are determined by regulations approved in the case of each Board by the Minister of Education. For the award of the Junior Scholarships all the Boards now use the Junior National Scholarship Examination, and for their Senior Scholarships nearly all use the Civil Service Junior Examination; but the awards themselves and the subsequent control of the holders are entirely in the hands of the Boards. The number and value of the Board scholarships in the various districts are shown in Table L 2, the totals of which are for the whole of New Zealand : — Number of scholarships,— Boys ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 326 Girls ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 207 Total ... ... ... . ... ... 533 Total expenditure of Boards on scholarships in 1909 ... ... £8,694 The most common period of tenure is two years, but in one district the scholarships are tenable for three years, and in three districts scholarships may be in deserving cases extended for a third year if the funds of the Board admit. By the terms of the Act every Education Board scholarship is tenable at a secondary school, or its equivalent, approved by the Board. With very few exceptions Education Board scholars hold secondary free places. In last year's report it was remarked that " the value of the scholarships varies considerably, apparently according to the view taken by each Board, as the circumstances of the different districts hardly seem to explain the great variation." The variation still exists. Taking the whole of the districts we find that there are: — At £40 per annum ... ... ... ... ... 86 scholarships. Ac £35 „ 8 At £30 „ 30 At £27 „ ... ... ... ... ... 7 At £26 10s. per annum ... ... ... ... ... 1 „ At £25 „ ... ... ... ... ... 4 Under £25 and not under £20 per annum ... ... ... 12 „ At £17 per annum ... ... ... ... ... 2 „ At £16 „ ... ... ... ... ... 8 At £15 „ ... ... ... ... ... 12 Under £15 and not under £10 per annum ... ... 176 „ Under £10 and not under £5 per annum ... ... ... 116 „ Under £5 per annum ... ... ... ... ... 71 „ Total... ... ... ... ... 533 (iii.) Foundation (or Governors , ) Scholarships. —There are also a certain number of foundation scholarships given by the governors of the schools not offering free places under the Act, as well as extra scholarships given by the governors of schools providing such free places. (iv.) The private scholarships are derived from funds provided by private donors at certain schools, by bequest or otherwise. The number of foundation and private scholarships in the last term of 1909 was J 91. Of the holders, sixty-four were also Government-free pupils under the regulations. The total value of the scholarships in cash was £1,504 16s. In addition, free tuition was given by the schools to holders of foundation and private scholarships to the value of £683, the value of the Government free places already mentioned not being included in this amount. Finances of Secondary Schools. The income of secondary schools is derived from the following sources :— (i.) Eents from the special reserves allocated to them by statute ; (ii.) Statutory grants, given in lieu of special reserves;