3

E.—B

This difference of 975 between those who entered for examination and those who actually sat is accounted for partly on the usual grounds, and partly by the operation of a clause in the Regulations for Senior Free Places, introduced in 1908, under which a number of candidates recommended on an accrediting principle therein embodied were exempt from examination, and accordingly did not present themselves. A provision on a somewhat similar principle embodied in 1911 in the Regulations for Training Colleges also accounts for a certain proportion of the number. In the several examinations the following were the numbers present:— Junior National Scholarship and Junior Free Place Examinations .. 2,934 Civil Service Junior and allied examinations .. .. .. .. 2,770 Civil Service Senior Examination .. .. .. .. .. 574 Teachers' Certificate Examinations .. .. .. .. .. 1,753 The following table gives a comparative statement of the number of candidates examined under the principal groupings during the past six years : — 1907-8. 1908-9. 1909-10. 1910-11. 1911-12. 1912-13. Junior National and Education Board Scholarships and Junior Free Places 1,475 1,765 2,214 2,383 2,564 2,934 Civil Service Junior, Senior Free Places, Education Board Senior Scholarships, First Pupil-teachers .. 2,173 2,158 2,369 2,375 2,563 2,770 Teachers D and C .. .. 1,184 1,223 1,482 1,534 1,626 1,753 Civil Service Senior .. .. 231 373 443 390 518 574 Totals .. .. 5,063 5,519 6,508 6,682 7,271 8,031 With respect to the Civil Service Junior group, it is of interest further to note that during the same period the average proportion of the candidates making application to be examined in terms of the Civil Service Act, whether with the special view of gaining admission to the Civil Service or not, was 61-7 per cent, of the whole, the proportion being substantially uniform except in 1908, when, through readily explainable causes, it was greater than usual. On the results of the examination in .this restricted sense the following are the numbers who have qualified during the past three years for inclusion in the order-of-merit list as annually published, boys and girls, respectively : —

The results of the Junior National Scholarship Examination were made known on the 14th January, those of the Civil Service Junior Examination on the 20th January, those of the Civil Service Senior Examination on the 19th February, and those of the Teachers' Examinations on the 25th February. Of the total number of candidates that sat for the Junior National Scholarship and Junior Free Place Examinations — The number of candidates for scholarships was .. .. .. 1,722 The number who obtained a scholarship qualification .. .. .. 919 The number who failed .. .. .. .. .. .. 803 The number of candidates for free places .. .. .. ..1,212 The number who qualified for a free place •.. .. .. .. 366* The number who failed .. .. .. .. .. .. 846 The highest percentages of marks gained in the various subjects of this examination were as follows: English, 82 ; arithmetic, 100 ; geography, 82 ; general paper, 87 ; drawing, 89. The highest percentage gained, by any one candidate on the whole examination was 79. The following are details of candidature in regard to the Civil Service Junior and Intermediate Examination, in its varied applications :— (a.) Total candidates presenting examination .. .. 2,770 (6.) Candidates under the provisions of the Civil Service Reform Act .. 1,708 (c.) Candidates for Education Board Senior Scholarships .. .. 487 (d.) Candidates included in both (b) and (c) .. .. .. .. 224 (c.) Candidates for Education Board Scholarships only .. .. .. 263 (/.) Candidates for first examination of pupil-teachers .. .. .. 43 (g.) Candidates included in both (b) and (/) .. .. .. .. 2 (A.) Candidates for Senior Free Places only .. .. .. .. 637 (i.) Candidates for drawing only .. .. .. .. .. 121

* In addition to the 919 above who gained a scholarship qualification, and thereby qualified also for a free place.

Year. Candidates examined. Boys. Candidates who qualified. Girls. Total. Number obtaining " Credit/ , 910 911 912 1,389 1,552 1,708 480 500 717 287 373 547 767 873 1,264 I 210 193 370 i