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unduly extended. The growth of the cities at the expense of the rural and country districts, as disclosed by the last census, is disquieting. If the suggested modifications of the syllabus result in a bias being given to the primal industries of the Dominion—agriculture, dairying, and other important industries—and to the increased productiveness of the soil, the Commission is convinced that the material 'prosperity of the people of the Domioion will be greatly enhanced. Secondary-school Endowments. The position of endowments for secondary education is hardly as satisfactory as would seem to be necessary, if the full purpose of this means of ensuring the real intentions of the trusts in the light of modern methods is to be carried out. While it is not suggested that any attempt should be made to divert the revenue derived from the district at present benefited, considerable improvements could be effected in the administration of the funds in question. Instances of Government subsidies having been injudiciously given to secondary schools were drawn attention to with reference to Christchurch and Oamaru institutions respectively. In the one case £601 was paid to a richly endowed school for the erection of a gymnasium, and in the other the principal returned the full amount of his salary (£SOO a year) to the Board of Governors and Government subsidies of £1 for £1 were paid on the salary returned. Reduction in Expenditure. There are not many directions in which economy can be exercised without impairing the efficiency of the education system. A saving of some £50,000 per annum might be effected by, inter alia, the alteration of the system of control, the demilitarization of Junior Cadets, the placing of the whole work of inspection in the hands of the Boards, the reform of free places and scholarships, the simplification of returns, the supply of all school requisites to the Boards direct from the manufacturers on the order of the Council of Education, and the abolition of postal and telegraph charges which involve considerable expense in book-keeping alone. Demilitarization of Junior Cadets. For the systematic carrying-out of the course of physical instruction recommended in another part of this report it is desirable, owing to the inauguration of the scheme of Dominion defence, that the Junior Cadets of the Dominion should be demilitarized. Universal recognition will be made of the good work done by the Junior Cadets in the past, of their fine esprit de corps, and their general amenability to discipline, while the zeal of their officers of all ranks is entitled to the highest praise. We therefore recommend that, wherever it is possible to do so, the military authorities should mark their sense of the public spirit shown at all times by the teachers who have so willingly given up their time and devoted so much personal attention to forwarding the movement by conferring on these officers commissions either in the Territorials or the Senior Cadets. We see no reason why the Junior Cadets, besides being permitted to wear a uniform dress in keeping with their altered conditions, should not continue to engage in squad and company drill and other manoeuvres consistent therewith, should not still practise shooting with miniature rifles, and should not where possible adopt the best of Boy Scout methods. These methods are designed in the main to upbuild character ; and whatever makes for the strengthening of the moral as well as the physical side of boy nature must ultimately produce good, honest, upright, and God-fearing citizens. Schoolboys under fourteen years of age should not be brought under the Defence system. All communications affecting the Cadets should be made through the headmaster of the school. Agricultural Education. In respect to the rural course in district high schools, and to the teaching of agriculture generally, and to the great importance of agriculture to the Dominion, this subject is not receiving the attention it deserves. To meet objections that have been urged in some quarters against the rural course, we recommend that in the Junior Civil Service and the Matriculation Examinations more marks than those at present allotted should be given to the subjects in the rural course.