43

E.—l

the end of the year, both in the case of the figures for 1909 and in those for 1910. The same falling-off is apparent in the case of secondary schools, though not to so marked an extent. It was more noticeable in the case of boys than in that of girls, and is no doubt due to the large number of scholars, especially boys, who leave school before the close of the year to enter some employment. In addition to those in secondary schools and in the secondary departments of district high schools there should properly be included in the number of pupils under secondary instruction in the Dominion (a) the pupils attending certain day classes in connection with technical schools, which in this regard may be called technical high schools; and (b) the pupils in various institutions for the secondary education of Maori boys and girls. The number of pupils on the rolls of the day technical schools during the year was 1,253, made up as follows :— 1909. 1910. Boys ... ... ... ... ... 345 545 Girls .. ... ... ... ... 501 708 Total ... ... ... 846 1,253 The following was the average roll of pupils in the secondary school for Maoris (all of whom were boarders) for the years 1909 and 1910 : — 1909. 1910. Boys ... ... ... ... ... 169 182 Girls ... ... ... ... . 191 196 Total ... ... ... 360 378 If we summarize all these figures, substituting in the case of the secondary schools the average roll 'for the roll at the end of the year, and excluding pupils in the lower departments of the secondary schools, we find that, as nearly as can be estimated, there were 8,988 pupils receiving some form or other of secondary education during the year 1910. 1909. 1910. Secondary schools ... ... ... ... 4,834 5,168 District high schools ... ... ... ... 2,163 2,189 Day technical schools ... ... ... 846 1,253 Maori secondary schools ... ... ... 360 378 Total ... ... ... 8,203 8,988 It will therefore be seen that there has been an increase in all the four groups of schools giving secondary instruction, particularly in the case of the day technical schools, the numbers being half as much again as those for the previous year. The population of New Zealand, including Maoris, but excluding the inhabitants of the Cook Islands, was, according to the 1911 census, 1,058,033, so that the proportion of persons receiving some form of day secondary instruction during the year 1910 was 85 per 10,000 of the population. In 1906 the corresponding proportion was 72-7 per 10,000, so there has been a steady development of secondary education in New Zealand during the past four years. It may be of interest to make a comparison in this respect between New Zealand and other countries. The following figures, so far as can be gathered from the reports, represent the position for the year 1909-10 : — United States ... ... ... ••• 958 per 10,000 New Zealand ... ... ... ... 850 „ 10,000 England and Wales ... ... ... ... 552 „ 10,000 Scotland ... ... ... ... ... 424 „ 10,000 Further information in regard to the roll and attendance at secondary schools will be found in Tables Xl and K2, and of district high schools in Tallies LI and L 2.