5

E.—6.

The following table gives a summary of the various secondary free places at the end of the year for which payment was made by Government: — Free Places in December, 1911 and 1912. 1911. , , 1912. , (i.) Secondary schools— Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. (a.) Junior free pupils . 1,610 1,322 2,932 1,770 1,440 3,210 (b.) Senior free pupils ... 599 490 1,089 664 576 1,240 Total ... ... 2,209 1,812 4,021 2,434 2,016 4,450 (ii.) District high schools ... 867 910 1,777 863 952 1,815 (iii.) Maori secondary schools 48 80 128 50 53 103 (iv.) Technical day-schools ... 552 708 1,260 613 762 1,375 Grand total ... 3,676 3,510 7,186 3,960 3,783 7,743 In the above table (in the case of the secondary schools and district high schools) the roll at the end of the year has been taken ; a fairer estimate of the number of persons receiving free secondary education in public institutions would be obtained by taking the average roll throughout the year and including in the total the holders of foundation and private scholarships or exhibitions who received free tuition not paid for by Government. We obtain thus the following approximate figures : — • Number receiving Free Secondary Education. 1911. 1912. Secondary schools ... ... ... ... ... 4,377* 4,815 District high schools ... ... ... ... ... 2,090 2,048 Technical day-schools... ... ... ... ... 1,260 1,375 Maori secondary schools ... ... ... ... 128 103 Totals ... ... ... ... 7,855* 8,341 * 1911 figures amended. The estimated increase for the year in the number receiving free secondary education is therefore 486. Scholarships held at Secondary Schools and District High Schools. These scholarships are of four kinds, — (i.) Junior National Scholarships ; (ii.) Education Board Scholarships; (iii.) Foundation (or Governors') Scholarships, given by the governing bodies of secondary schools ; (iv.) Private scholarships, endowed by private owners. (i.) Junior National Scholarships. These scholarships are allotted to the several education districts practically on the basis of pupulation, as in each district there is offered annually one scholarship for each 4,000 or part of 4,000 children in average yearly attendance. The scholarships are awarded by the Education Boards on the results of an examination conducted by the Education Department, and the Boards exercise a certain control over the holders, and pay over to them from time to time the amounts falling due. The following summary to Table L 4 shows the number and value of Junior National Scholarships current in December, 1911, and December, 1912, respectively:— Number of scholarships,— 1911. 1912. Boys ... ... ... ... ... ... 75 73 Girls ... ... ... ... ... ... 51 57 Totals ... ... ... ... 126 130 Number receiving boarding-allowance (included in the above total) ... ... ... ... ... ... 62 63 Number receiving travelling-allowance (similarly included) ... 1 2 Number held at secondary schools ... ... ... 103 112 Number held at district high schools ... .. ... 23 18 Total annual rate of payment ... ... ... ...£3,185 £3,236