X—2.

[Appendix F.

With regard to physical deformities, the percentage of defects observed was higher than it should be : 13-4 per cent, of the children examined at the routine examination had stooped shoulders, 5-7 per cent, curvature, and 5-6 per cent, flat chest. With the object of curing such defects as these remedial classes have been widely established, the Medical Inspectors and physical instructors co-operating in the work, and although it is too early yet to estimate the complete results, there is every reason to believe that the increased attention to this aspect of physical instruction is bearing valuable fruit. To provide a staff of specialists to conduct the work in its entirety is, however, manifestly impossible. It can only be initiated, supervised, and corrected. The effective application of the scheme of exercises selected must rest with the teachers themselves, whose training in consequence is of capital importance. Both Medical Inspectors and physical instructors have devoted a considerable amount of time to the instruction of the students of training colleges to prepare them for their future duties in the schools. This is regarded as one of the most important branches of the work, the value of having teachers thoroughly instructed in the requirements of physical education and taught to observe physical defects in their pupils and maintain a healthful school environment being incalculable. The Medical Inspectors report on the school buildings in respect of lighting, heating, ventilation, cleanliness, &c, and have been able to suggest many improvements where little or no expense is involved. Emphasis is placed on the value of fresh air, open-air teaching being strongly recommended. An open-air class-room accommodating about sixty pupils was used in Wellington from April to the end of the year, and although some of the conditions could not be considered favourable, the reports of the teachers and the superior gains in height and weight of the pupils plainly show that the experiment was an unqualified success. The result is in accordance with similar experiments made elsewhere, and goes far to establish the principle of the open-air class-room wherever circumstances permit of the arrangement. Tlie expenditure on medical inspection for the financial year ended 31st March, 1916, was—Salaries, £1,765 ; travelling-expenses, £527 ; material, apparatus, for-warding-charges, &c, £55 : total, £2,347. The expenditure on physical education for the year ended the 31st March, 1916, was as follows : Salaries, £2,272; training classes, including camps for teachers, £2,877 ; equipment for training classes, £15 ; travelling allowances and expenses, £1,464; sundries, including advertising, books, office-cleaning, freight, &c, £199 : total, £6,827. The receipts from sales of Junior Cadet equipment from schools where the cadet corps have been disbanded amounted|to £990.

2. REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION. The Dieeotoe of Km cation to the Hon. J. A. Hanan, Minister of Education. Sir, — I have the honour to present the following report for the year 1915 with regard to the medical inspection of schools and school-children and to physical education. The work of medical inspection of schools has been carried out very ably by I lie somewhat limited staff of four Medical Inspectors—Drs. E. S. Baker, E. C. 11. B. Maodonald, and A. G. Paterson. The difficulty of the work has been further increased by the detachment of Dr. E. C. G-unn for military medical service. The work of medical inspection is of a most valuable character, and is covered in a very interesting manner by the annual reports of the four officers above mentioned. It is regretted that the limitations of this paper make it impossible Io publish these reports here in full. They will be published later in pamphlet form, so that all interested in this most important service will be able to gain some idea, of the valuable nature of the work which has so far been done. There appears to be some force in the frequently made contention that medical inspection without provision for subsequent preventive -nnd corrective treatment is fruitless, but it should be remembered Hint this very inspection has been the means of revealing the urgent need for the treatment of widespread physical defects of which the public had previously not been in any real sense aware. Four years ago little was heard about the need for the medical treatment of children, and the work of medical inspection as carried out since then has amply justified itself in the wide and intense interest in and the positive demand for remedial treatment. The Department is gratified that such a. demand is made, since it should ensure a warm and (borough support of

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