E.—l

40

The schools continue to be well attended and appear to attract a number of young people who would not otherwise proceed to secondary schools. The courses of instruction taken up by pupils attending day technical schools were as follows : — Males. Females. Totals. Industrial .. .. . . 377 .. 377 Commercial .. .. . .213 562 775 Domestic . . . . . . . . .... 28(1 256 Agricultural . . . . . . .. 58 .. 58 Art .. ..2 II 13 General . . . . . . 34 13 17 Totals .. .. .. ..684 848 1,526 Nearly 50 per cent, of the pupils attended commercial courses, industrial courses being taken by 24 per cent., and domestic courses by 17 per cent. Courses of agricultural instruction were provided at two schools, and were attended by fifty-eight pupils. The school at Westport provides an engineering course only, attended by twenty pupils. The well-equipped training hostel recently established in connexion with the Christchurch Technical College will provide ample opportunities for training in home making and keeping for girls attending the day technical school attached to that institution. Capitation payments made during the year on account of attendances at day technical schools amounted to £14,807, being at the rate of about £9*6 per pupil. Following are some particulars regarding free pupils at day technical schools: —

The number of pupils holding Junior Free Places (tenable for two years) was 1,242, the number holding Senior Free Places (tenable for three years) was 133. Fifty-three per cent, of the pupils who entered on Junior Free Places in 1911 continued to attend during 1912, while about 66 per cent, of the pupils who completed the second year of the Junior Free Places at the end of 1911 qualified for and were awarded Senior Free Places. The following is a summary of the income (exclusive of grants for buildings, equipment, rent, and material) and the expenditure for 1912 in respect of " special " and associated " classes (including day technical schools) : — Income. Special Associated Classes. Classes. £ £ Capitation on attendances and free places .. 14.313 17,132 Voluntary contributions and subsidies thereon .. .. 3.192 6.394 Students 1 tecs 4,647 4,20 Sundry receipts .. .. .. .. 1-730 3,875 Totals for 1912 .. .. .. .. £26,882 £31,610 Totals for 1911 £23.310 £29,856 KxPEN'IMTI'RE. Administration .. .. .. •• • 4,635 4,277 Salaries of Instructors ..18,569 20,049 Sundry expenses .. .. .. •• 2.511 1,840 Totals for 1912 £25,718 £26,166 Totals for 1911 £21,631 £23,866

1911. L912. Males. Females. Total. Males. Females. Total. . . , .. 'First year .. Junior free pupils jSeco / dyear (First year .. Senior free pupils j Second year (Third year 328 176 36 9 3 422 203 70 12 1 750 379 106 21 I 401 162 37 11 2 440 239 65 18 841 401 102 29 2 Totals 552 708 1,260 613 762 1,375