B.—l

10

a school subject to inspection. There is therefore indirectly a compulsion on all private primary schools to become subject to inspection. Such private schools are inspected by officers of Education Boards. The following are the particulars in regard to these schools for the years 1912-13 :— 1912. 1913. Total number of schools subject to inspection .. .. 197 166 Total roll number .. .. .. .. .. 13,677 15,350 Average attendance .. .. .. .. .. 12,086 13,513 Total roll at annual examination .. .. .. 13,286 14,659 Number present at annual examination .. .. .. 12,322 13,773 Number present in preparatory classes .. .. .. 5,410 5,806 Number present in S6 .. .. .. .. .. 811 912 Number present in S7 .. .. .. .. .. 269 205 Number of proficiency certificates issued .. .. .. 473 511 Number of competency certificates issued .. .. 171 181 The standard of regularity of attendance was very satisfactory, being 88*0 per cent, of the total roll number, as compared with 88*4 per cent, for the previous year. See also Table D 4 in E.-2. Conveyance of Children. Conveyance by Rail. —Since the year 1895 children out of the reach of a primary school, but living near to a convenient line of railway, have been granted free passes to the nearest public school or private school; in 1902 this privilege was extended to holders of scholarships and free places in secondary schools, district high schools, and technical schools ; and at the beginning of 1909 the same concession was granted to other secondary pupils who were compelled to travel by rail in order to attend school. The amount paid on this account for railway fares in the year 1912-13 and 1913-14 was as follows : — 1912-13. 1913-14. £ s. d. £ s. d. Primary pupils .. .. .. .. 3,595 14 0 4,043 18 0 Pupils attending— (a.) Secondary schools .. .. .. 1,701 4 0 2,752 0 0 (b.) District high schools .. .. 1,147 4 0 1,017 10 0 (c.) Technical schools .. .. .. 3,724 16 10 5,305 14 9 £10,168 18 10 £13,119 2 9 Conveyance by Road and Water. —In addition to the provision for conveyance by rail, section 44 (c) of the Education Act provides that Boards may, where the necessity arises, arrange for conveyance by road and water. In districts in which the population is scattered and the necessary facilities are available due advantage has been taken of this section of the Act. An allowance is also made in aid of the board of any child who, on account of distance, is compelled to live away from home in order to attend a public school. Payment to Education Boards for expenditure incurred is made on the following basis :■ — (a.) 6d. per return trip for each child over seven years of age conveyed to the nearest public school; provided that the child's home is over three miles from the school by the nearest road. (6.) 6d. per return trip for each child over five years of age ferry to enable him (or her) to attend a public school. (c.) 2s. 6d. a week for the board for each child over five age who through impracticability of conveyance has to live away from home in order to attend a public school'; provided that in which the child is boarded is distant from the school notjmore than two miles if the child is under ten years of age, and not more than three miles in case, the regularity of the child's attendance at school is at least 85 per cent.