13

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Bd. per return trip, according to the mode of conveyance used, for each child over five years of age that is conveyed to school, and ss. a week towards the cost of the board of each child compelled to live away from home to attend a public school. If the expenditure by Education Boards exceeds this allowance the Department also pays half the excess cost. The following represents the expenditure by the Department for the year 1921-22 on the above-named services : —

The total expenditure for the previous year was £41,314. Departmental Publications. The School Journal is published by the Department every month (except in December and January) for use as a supplementary reader in primary schools, and is still regarded as a useful and popular production. In many cases it is used as the chief reader. It is issued in three parts, suited to the varying capacities of the pupils in Standards I to VI inclusive, and is supplied free to all public schools, Native schools, special schools, and other institutions more or less under the Department's control or supervision. To a very large number of private schools it is supplied at cost price, with the result that over 17,000 copies of the School Journal are purchased monthly. Of the last issue of the School Journal for the year 1921 the number of copies printed was —Part I, 68,950 ; Part 11, 65,900 ; Part 111, 56,150 : total 191,000. These numbers show an increase of 10,100 over those of the previous year. The rates charged to purchasers are Id. for each of Parts I and 11, and ljd. for Part 111, the minimum charge for one of each part being 4s. 6d. per annum. In Part I last year practically the whole of the reading-matter consisted of stories suited to the age of the children, and every endeavour was made, especially in the first two months of the year, to make the text as simple as possible, as well as to stimulate the children's interest in the Journal. In Part II more instructive matter was introduced, but a fair proportion of the reading-matter consisted of stories. The history of two New Zealand ports —Timaru and New Plymouth— was dealt with, in order that the children might see how this country has been developed in the past, and the way in which diiiiculties have been overcome. There were articles on natural history, and lessons appropriate to Empire Day and Arbor Day. In Part 111 there was one entirely new feature —a serial story, " David Blaize," which, by the great kindness of the author, Mr. E. F. Benson, it was possible to reproduce free of charge, and there is no doubt whatever that this story was appreciated far above anything else. It is regretted that a suitable successor to this serial has not been found for this year. There were also some interesting and original natural-history articles on the birds of New Zealand, written by Mr. Johannes Andersen, and as a result of these articles children from all over New Zealand have sent in some very valuable observations on bird-life. Among the industries of this country dealt with in Part 111 were the woollen and milk industries. A special issue for Empire Day was much appreciated and very favourably commented on, and another special number was brought out for Arbor D& y- . . . . , Extracts were included from some of the great masters of English literature —Dickens, 0. W. Holmes, Irving, Jeffries, and Ruskin. In the final issue for the year there was an article in which the different ramifications of the New Zealand system of education and its bearing on the life and occupations of the people were set out in diagrammatic form.

Railway Fares. Boarding-allowance and Conveyance by Road and Water. Total. Primary Secondary Technical £ 13,470 6,113 4,386 £ 22,089 £ 35,559 6,113 4,386 Total 23,969 22,089 46,058