E.—l,

the smaller centres, as well as in the intermediate schools, to deal with vocational guidance. It may be mentioned that arrangements were made during the year to call further conferences early in the year 1937 on visual education, agricultural instruction, school architecture and equipment, and physical education. It is recognized that the film will become a valuable teaching-aid in the future, and to this end a conference will discuss all phases of visual education. The provision made for boys' and girls' agricultural clubs has already been mentioned in this report. A conference of Agricultural Instructors will be called to enable views to be obtained to help in the fostering of the work of these clubs, to increase the value of the teaching of the subjects of agriculture and nature study, and to discuss allied matters. Education Board Architects will also be asked to meet to discuss every phase of school construction, equipment, and maintenance, and the best types of school-buildings, particularly the several types of open-air schoolrooms. The subject of physical education will also be discussed by a conference of experts both from Government Departments and outside organizations, with a view to arriving at the best methods of improving the physique of the school population of the Dominion. The financial provision made in the year 1936 indicates the Government's determination to deal with the problem of the rebuilding and the reconditioning of old and unhygienic buildings. For this year a sum of £500,000 was provided for buildings, sites, &c., in connection with all branches of education. The previous year the sum provided was £180,000 plus assistance to the extent of £23,060 from the Unemployment Fund. It is hoped to provide £550,000 for the financial year 1937-38. In the year 1936, for the general maintenance of school buildings, residences, &c., the sum of £147,000 was provided for public schools and training colleges. Of this amount £100,000 was for general maintenance, £45,000 was for ground improvements, and £2,000 was for special works. In the previous year £65,000 was voted. It is hoped that a sum of £180,000 will be provided for public schools and training colleges next financial year. For secondary schools £19,500 was provided, as against £2,000 for the previous year ; for technical high schools £9,500 as against £2,000. Of the secondary allocation £18,000 and of the technical allocation £7,000 was for ground improvements. For Native schools £7,000 was provided, as against £6,000 in the previous year. It is hoped to allocate a sum of £22,500 for secondary schools, £12,500 for technical high schools, and £10,000 for Native schools next financial year. In the realization that there is still much to be done to make school-buildings safe against the danger of earthquake, it is intended to allot an additional £10,000 for this purpose in 1937-38. As far as possible new primary-school buildings are being erected on the openair principle, a design in which the Canterbury Education Board was the pioneer. This type of school, especially in its most up-to-date form, the detached class-room, is now generally recognized as best for promoting the health of the children. The provision of free milk in the schools is expected to have an important effect on the health of school-children. As the milk-in-schools scheme is organized and controlled by the Health Department, the report upon the work of that Department should be referred to for particulars of the scheme and its operation. The work of the School Dental Service is covered fully in the report of the Director-General of Health. The service will be extended as rapidly as nurses can be trained. The Dental Clinic Committees continue to give excellent support in stimulating local interest in this important adjunct to our education service. Under the scheme relating to the exchange of New Zealand teachers with those from other parts of the British Empire, twenty New Zealand teachers were, during 1936, serving in schools in different parts of the Empire. Two of these exchanges were with teachers in post-primary schools in England and Scotland respectively. The other eighteen were with teachers in primary schools situated in England, Canada, or Australia. No exchanges were arranged between New Zealand and South African teachers during the year. The only legislative enactment made during the year dealing with education was the Education Amendment Act, 1936, which altered the definition of school

6