H.—3l.

Secondary Schools. Although it has not been possible to undertake the systematic inspection of secondary schools, in one or two instances secondary-school pupils were examined, and the following particulars from a summary of 277 technical-school pupils examined by Dr. Irwin in Southland will no doubt be of interest: — Number of children examined .. .. .. .. .. 277 Percentage found to have defects .. .. .. .. ..71-84: Percentage with defects other than dental .. .. .. .. 42 •96 Percentage of children showing evidence of Subnormal nutrition .. .. .. .. .. .. 3-25 Skin — Scabies .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-72 Other skin-diseases .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-72 Heart: Functional disturbance .. .. .. .. .. 0-72 Total deformities of trunk and chest .. .. .. .. 4: • 32 Mouth — Deformity of jaw or palate, including irregularity .. .. 3-61 Dental caries . . .. .. .. . . 58 • 84 Extractions of permanent teeth .. .. .. .. 56 •32 Fillings .. .. .. .. .. .. 61-73 Perfect sets of teeth .. .. . . .. .. 2-52 Nose and throat — Nasal obstruction .. .. .. .. .. .. 1-44 Enlarged tonsils .. .. .. .. .. .. 5-77 Enlarged glands .. .. .. .. .. .. Nil Goitre — All degrees .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 •57 Incipient .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7-58 Small .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9-75 Medium .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1-44 Large .. .. .. . . . . . . .. 1-80 EyeExternal eye disease .. .. .. .. .. 0-36 Total defective vision .. .. .. .. ..12-27 Corrected .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 6-50 Uncorrected .. .. .. .. .. .. 5-77 Ear: Defective hearing .. .. .. .. .. .. 0-72 ' Dr. Anderson reports : — " At the request of the respective Principals, medical inspection was carried out at the Dannevirke High School, Masterton Technical Girls' School, and Napier Girls' High School. In addition, selected pupils from other secondary schools in the area were examined. " It would appear that the state of nutrition of the scholars is of interest to the teachers and their controlling boards, and for that reason we weighed and measured the pupils at the schools examined. While realizing that weight is of little practical value when considered alone, nevertheless it was of interest to note that, allowing for unavoidable technical errors, the percentage above and below weight in thejrespective groups were practically similar. The following table illustrates this statement : —

" One secondary girls' school has been under my observation for several years, and being also familiar with, the existing home conditions it would appear that the worst cases of subnormal nutrition are always found in the homes where the mother is continually occupied and a restful atmosphere is non-existent —that is, where the mother is forced to earn a living for the family, occupied with nursing a patient in the home, or exhausting her nerve centres at bridge ; and the latter type usually have worse specimens. Some time ago the Principal of one girls' high school issued a questionnaire for my benefit to enable us to judge how much unoccupied time the girls had out of school hours. Practically every girl had some social activity apart from school affairs."

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Masterton Girls. Napier Girls. Dannevirke Girls. Dannevirke Boys. <D ® <l3 <33 &0 bfi be bo 8 "S S a S ■§ g "S gogogogo Total number examined .. .. 75 .. 221 .. 135 .. 188 Number about standard weight .. 10 13-3 21 9-5 14 10-3 26 13-8 Number above standard weight .. 32 42-6 111 50-2 78 57-7 78 41-4 Number lib. to 71b. below standard 10 13-3 32 14-4 18 13-3 48 25-5 weight Number 71b. to 141b. below standard 16 21-3 38 17:1 13 9-6 24 12-7 weight Number 14 lb. and over standard weight 7 9-3 19 8-5 12 8-8 12 6-3