FREE PLACE QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1693, 8 March 1913, Page 6

FREE PLACE QUESTION.

—fr- —. — GIRLS' COLLEGE. The College Board of Governors met in committee yesterday to further consider the question of free places nt the Girls' College. After discission the board resumed aijd adopted tho following report:— ' "When tho free-place system was started the board refused to receive free-place pupils at the Boys' College, on the ground that the accommodation was all required for paying pupils; and at the Girls' College on tlie ground that Ihe scholarships then given by the board were all that could be required under the alternative provision in the Act. The new building was put up for tho boys at the expense of the Government, and free-place pupils were admitted to the extent of the accommodation then made available. The girls' schoolrooms not being fully occupied, tho board agreed to relieve the Government of its difficulty with regard to tho secondary education of girls by filling up the vacancy. The advent of free-place pupils to the. school brought in under that category those who had hitherto been admitted, on -scholarships. The demand for places became greater, and tho Government found the money for the increase of accommodation. Tho demand is still growing. The order of nccoptnncc now is: (1) Scholarship holders; (2) those qualified for an Education Board scholarship or junior National Scholarship; (;j) p;n'i u „ pupils; (4) certificates of proficiency.* ° "Priority of application determines the admission of the fourth class; and it was found in the present term that only those whose applications had been received on or before December 18 could be admitted. This date was not an arbitrary date fixed by the board, but it merely happens to" be tho date of tho application of the last pupil for whom room was found in tlio school. The present difficulty arises anion" the fourth class. Tho tension would be relieved if certificates of proficiency wore taken as a qualification only in respect of those who have not completed the.ir thirteenth year."