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exemption from examination and 33 cases of partial exemption in 1914. Senior free places in secondary schools, district high schools, and technical high schools are tenable up to the age of nineteen. To technical schools other than technical high schools this age-limit does not apply. The following are some of the figures for 1913 and 1914 in regard to free places in secondary schools : — 1913. 1914. Number of secondary schools giving free tuition .. 30 30 *Total roll number, excluding lower departments .. 5,803 6,056 Number of free-place holders .. .. .. 4,592 5,061 Free-place holders as a percentage of roll number . . 79 per cent. 84 per cent. Total annual payment by Government for free places .. £51,917 £56,186 Cost to Government per free pupil .. .. .. £10 15s. lid. £11 2s. Od. * The total roll of all secondary schools is taken, including Wanganui Boys' and Girls' Collcgos and Christ's College, but these throe schools aro not included in the number of secondary schools giving free tuition during 1914. Wanganui Girls' College will be open to free-place holders as from the beginning of the current year. It will thus be 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 abeve 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 holders 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. , 1.91.3. , ( 1914. . „ (i.) Secondary schools— Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total, (a.) Junior free pupils .. 1,815 1,466 3,281 2,021 1,556 3,580 (b.) 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 2,100 (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 (6.) Senior free pupils .. 65 102 167 71 108 179 Grand totals .. .. 4,203 3,841 8,041 4,777 4,165 8,942 Scholarships held at Secondary Schools and District High Schools. 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