51

B.—l

It will seen that there are now very few pupils—only 16 in every 100 —who pay fees for admission into secondary schools. That the free-place system has undoubtedly been fully taken advantage of by the people of New Zealand is evidenced by the enormous increase in free places in the last few years. In 1903 there were 1,600 free pupils at secondary schools ; now the number is more than three times as great. In order to arrive at the total number of pupils in New Zealand receiving free secondary instruction it will be necessary, however, to include also 171 holders of scholarships or exhibitions carrying free instruction not otherwise enumerated, which are granted by the secondary schools included above or by endowed secondary schools not coming under the conditions for free places, 2,100 pupils in attendance at district high schools, almost all of whom were free pupils, 107 Maori pupils receiving free education in Maori secondary schools, and 1,674 holders of free places in day technical schools. Consequently, there are approximately 8,942 pupils receiving free secondary education in the Dominion, exclusive of those holder's.of free places in technical schools (mostly evening students) who, while not taking full day courses, were nevertheless receiving free education of secondary grade. The following table gives a summary of the various secondary free places at the end of the year for which payment was made by Government:— Free Places in December, 1913 and 1914. , L 913. __, , —-1914. , (i.) Secondary schools— Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. (a.) Junior free pupils .. 1,815 1,466 3,281 2,024 1,556 3,580 (6.) Senior free pupils ■ .. 759 552 1,311 864 617 1,481 Totals .. .. 2,574 2,018 4,592 2,888 2,173 5,061 (ii.) District high schools .. .. 900 937 1,837 1,067 1,033 2,1.00 (iii.) Maori secondary schools .. 53 55 108 48 59 107 (iv.) Day technical schools — (a.) Junior free pupils .. 611 729 '1,340 703 792 1,495 {b.) Senior free pupils .. 65 102 167 71 108 179 Grand totals .. .. 4,203 3,841 8,044 4,777 4,165 8,942 Scholarships held at Secondary Schools and District High Schools. w (Seealso E.-6, Tables X 5, L 4, and L 5.) These scholarships are of four kinds, — (i.) National Scholarships ; (ii.) Education Board Scholarships ; (iii.) Foundation (or Governors') Scholarships, given by the governing bodies of secondary schools ; • (iv.) Private scholarships, endowed by private owners. (i.) National Scholarships. Junior National Scholarships have up to the present been allotted to the several education districts practically on. the basis of population, as in each district there has been offered annually one scholarship for each 4,000 or part of 4,000 children in average yearly attendance at public schools. The scholarships are awarded by the Education Boards on the results of an examination conducted by the Education Department, and the Boards exercise a certain, control over the holders, and pay over to them from time to time the amounts falling due. Under the Education Act, 1914, and regulations issued under its authority, the arrangements for scholarships have been remodelled. Junior and Senior National Scholarships, to be awarded under a national scheme, replace the older Junior National and the Education Board Junior Scholarships and the Education Board Senior Scholarships respectively. The University Entrance Scholarships, which have hitherto been called Senior National Scholarships, will in future be known, in accordance with the University Amendment Act, 1914, as University National Scholarships.