E.—s

In the case of Education Boards, nine in number, four show net credit balances totalling £11,957 14s. 3d., while five show net debit balances totalling £4,582 35., the total net credit balance being £7,375 lis. 3d. In the case of Technical School Boards and Managers, nineteen in number, eighteen show net credit balances totalling £20,064 18s. lid., and one a net debit balance of £2,528 2s. 10d., giving a total net credit balance of £17,536 16s. Id. It is evident that the financial position as a whole is satisfactory, and indicates that the school authorities collectively are not hampered by insufficiency of funds. It will be noted that the financial position of some of the Education Boards does not compare favourably with that of the majority of the Technical School Boards. Account must, however, be taken in this connection of the fact that the classes conducted by Education Boards include a number of classes for elementary or single subjects at small centres—classes which earn capitation at lower rates than in the case of most of the classes conducted by Technical School Boards, where definite courses of work, both elementary and advanced, are the rule rather than the exception. Three full-time technical high schools (787 students) and 985 classes (over 10,000 students) were conducted by Education Boards at 115 centres during the year, as compared with five full-time technical high schools (1,318 students) and 678 classes (nearly 7,000 students) at thirty centres in the case of Technical School Boards. Further, the funds of the classes conducted by Education Boards are augmented annually to a lesser extent by voluntary contributions and the Government subsidy of £1 for £1 thereon than are the funds of classes conducted by Technical School Boards. Voluntary contributions and subsidies in 1916 totalled £2,149 in the case of the former and £5,239 in the case of the latter. The following is a summary of the expenditure by the Government on technical instruction during the financial year ended the 31st March, 1917 :— £ £ Capitation ... ... ... ... ... 64,856 Subsidies on voluntary contributions ... ... ... 4,206 Home science bursaries ... ... ... ... 1,180 Grants in aid of material for class use ... ... ... 3,187 8,573 Grants for buildings and equipment ... ... 6,614 Conveyance of — Instructors ... ... ... ... ... 790 Students ... ... ... ... ... 235 Free pupils ... ... ... ... ... 2,361 3,386 Examinations ... ... ... ... ... ... 449 Inspectors' salaries and travelling-expenses ... 1,226 85,104 Less recoveries (examination fees, &c.) ... 173 £84,931 The expenditure was at the rate of £4-3 per student, as compared with £3-5 for the previous year. Included in the total is £2,424 from nationalendowment revenue.

10