8.—6

2

1. EXTRACT FROM THE THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE .MINISTER OF EDUCATION.

Secondary Education. Number of Schools. The schools usually included in the list of secondary schools in this report which were open in 1910 were thirty-one in number, namely,— (a.) " Endowed secondary schools " within the meaning of section 89 of the Education Act, 1908, and included in the Eighth Schedule to the Act 26 (b.) Secondary schools within the meaning of the same section (89), but established by the Minister under section 94 ... ... ... 3 (c.) Other endowed secondary schools not coming within the definition of section 89 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Total ... ... ... ... ... ... 31 Of the endowed secondary schools only twenty-two were in operation during the year. Of the other four —Akaroa, Greymouth, Hokitika, and Waimate —the last three have never been in operation, and the first existed as a small struggling high school for a few years only; but a permanent increase of population might lead to the establishment (or re-establishment) of one or more of them at any time. Meanwhile secondary education is carried on in the secondary departments of the district high schools established in each of these four centres, and to some extent these district high schools are assisted by funds derived from the endowments of the secondary schools. Roll and Attendance. The total number of pupils attending the thirty-one secondary schools in the last terms of 1909 and 1910 respectively was— , 1909. , 1910. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. [Girl*. Total. Eoll (exclusive of lower departments) 2,797 1,870 4,667 2,844 2,062 4,906 Number in lower departments ... 114 75 189 178 92 270 Total 2,911 1,945 4,856 3,022 2,154 5,176 Number of boarders (included above) 566 140 706 614 141 755 The average number of pupils on the rolls of the secondary departments of district high schools in 1909 and 1910 respectively was — 1909. 1910. Boys ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,100 1,128 Girls ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,063 1,061 Total ... ... ... ... 2,163 2,189 If, instead of taking the average roll throughout the year, we take the roll at the end of the year, as was done in the case of the secondary schools above, we find the number in the secondary departments of district high schools to be as follows :— 1909. 1910. Boys ... ... ... ... ... ... 944 954 Girls ... ... ... ... .. ... 947 962 Total ... ... ... ... 1,891 1,916 The average attendance at the secondary schools for 1910 was 5,012. It will be evident from a comparison of these figures that in the case of district high schools there was a distinct falling-off in the roll numbers towards