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school to enter trades and industries is higher than in the case of pupils leaving the primary schools. The post-primary schools, therefore, are not creating a bias away from industrial occupations, but are assisting boys and girls to discover their inclination towards such occupations. There is no doubt that if, as is intended, the secondary schools are equipped in such a way as to enable the pupils to discover and develop their aptitudes in the direction of trade and industry a higher percentage of pupils will seek to enter other than clerical occupations. The returns compiled by teachers also show the duration of the post-primary course taken by pupils who have now left school. Summarized, the position is as follows : —

Free Places. The following table shows the number of free places held in 1927 on the dates shown : — (i) Secondary schools (at 30th June, 1927)— Boys. Girls. Total. (a) Junior free pupils .. .. .. 5,030 4,694 9,724 (b) Senior free pupils .. .. .. 2,329 1,848 4,177 Totals .. .. .. 7,359 6,542 13,901 (ii) District high schools (at 30th June, 1927)— (a) Junior free pupils .. .. .. 1,526 1,463 2,989 (b) Senior free pupils .. .. .. 375 382 757 Totals .. .. .. 1,901 1,845 3,746 (iii) Maori secondary schools (at 31st December, 1927) .. .. .. .. .. 65 80 145 (iv) Technical high schools and technical day schools (at 30th June, 1927) — («) Junior free pupils .. .. .. 2,914 2,506 5,420 (/;) Senior free pupils .. .. .. 523 512 1,035 Totals .. .. .. 3,437 3,018 6,455 (v) Third-year pupils at Kowhai and Northcote Junior High Schools (at 30th June, 1927).. 63 75 138 Grand totals .. .. 12,825 11,560 24,385 There were on the 30th June, 1927, 25,314 children in attendance at Government schools providing secondary education, and of these 96 per cent, were holders of free places.

Technical District, Hi S h Schools High Schools. „. , s ho . and Day All Schools. g bcll00ls - Technical Schools. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Percentage leaving in first year .. .. 16 4-0 38 27 Percentage leaving in second year .. .. 31 29 38 33 Percentage leaving in third year .. .. 21 16 16 19 Percentage leaving in fourth and later years . . 32 15 8 21 Totals .. .. .. .. 100 100 100 | 100