E.—B

Senior Free Places are made with the concurrence of the Inspector-General on the recommendation of the principal of the secondary school attended, or, for district high schools, of an Inspector of Schools. Number who entered, 1912-13 .. .. .. .. .. 9,006 Number who entered, 1911-12 .. .. .. .. .. 8,230 Number actually present at examination, 1912-13 .. .. .. 8.031 Number actually present at examination, 1911-12 .. .. .. 7,271 Number who did not present themselves, 1912-13 .. .. .. 975 Number who did not present themselves, 1911-12 .. .. .. 959 The Department's examination for Junior National Scholarships is now used by all the Education Boards of the Dominion for the award of their Junior Scholarships, superseding thus without exception any examination locally conducted in earlier years for this purpose. For the award of their Senior Scholarships the Education Boards use the Civil Service Junior Examination, but not necessarily on the precise conditions attaching to this examination, the terms in each case being determined by the regulations of the several Boards who offer Senior Scholarships for competition. Apart from this extension of its functions, the examination hitherto more generally known by this name is employed for a variety of purposes. Either in its proper competitive form or as the Intermediate Examination, with certain modifications in selected subjects to meet the needs of a non-competitive qualification, it thus serves not only as an entrance examination for the Civil Service of the Dominion, but as a scholarship examination, an examination for the Senior Free Place qualification in secondary schools and district high schools, an examination for pupil-teachers of the second or third year, and a qualifying examination for the probationer appointments instituted under the provisions of the Education Amendment Act, 1908. The cost of conducting both groups of examinations was as follows :— Total expenses, including cost of additional clerical services tern- £ s. <1. porarily employed .. .. .. .. 6. 623 9 4 Less recoveries—feespaidbycandidat.es .. .. .. 4,41283 Net cost of examinations .. .. .. .. £2,211 1 1

No. 2. The Inspector-Geneeal of Schools to the Hon. the Minister of Education. Sir, — Education Department, Wellington, Bth May, 1913. I have the honour to present the following report of the annual examinations conducted by the Department for the various purposes of Junior National Scholarships, Junior Free Places in secondary schools, district high schools, and technical schools, Senior Free Places in secondary schools and district high schools, for admission to or promotion in the Civil Service, and for teachers' certificates:— The examinations were held between the 19th and 27th November, 1912, on the 28th and 29th November, 1912, and between the 6th and 21st January, 1913, at the thirteen towns which are the seats of Education Boards, and at Alexandra, Aratapu, Arrowtown, Ashburton, Balclutha, Carterton, Chatham Islands, Dannevirke, Eketahuna, Feilding, Gistorne, Gore, Hamilton, Hastings, Hawera, Lawrence, Levin, Marton, Masterton, Naseby, Oamaru, Ohaeawai, Opotiki, Pahiatua, Palmerston North, Patea, Petone, Pukekohe, Eangiora, Keefton, St. Dominic's Priory (Dunedin), Stratford, Taihape, Takaka, Taumarunui, Tauranga, Thames, Waihi, Waimate South, Waipawa, Wairoa, Warkworth, Westport, Whangarei, and Woodville. There were two centres at both Auckland and Christchurch. The following are the numbers of candidates entering for the November and January tests as compared with the numbers of the preceding year :— Number who entered, 1912-13 .. .. .. .. .. 9,006 Number who entered, 1911-12 .. .. .. .. .. 8,230 Increase of candidates entered in 1912-13 .. .. .. 776 Number actually present at examination, 1912-13 .. .. .. 8 ; 031 Number actually present at examination, 1911-12 .. .. .. 7,271 Increase of candidates present in 1912-13 .. .. .. 760 Number who did not present themselves, 1912-13 .. .. .. 975 Number who did not present themselves, 1911-12 .. .. .. 959

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