E.—l

50

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, 2,044 free-place holders at district high schools, 96 Maori pupils receiving free education, in. Maori secondary schools, and 2,150 holders of free places in technical, high schools. Consequently, there were approximately 1.0,625 pupils receiving free secondary education in the Dominion, exclusive of those holdersjof 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 in 1916 and 1917 for which payment was made by Government : — Free Places in December, 1916 and 1917. -1916. , ■ 1917. (i.) Secondary schools--- Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total, (a.) Junior free pupils .. 2,283 2,013 4,296 2,327 2.257 4,584 (6.) Senior free, pupils .. 818 712 1,530 910 737 1.647 Totals .. .. 3,101 2,725 5,826 3,237 2,991 6.231 (ii.) District high schools— (a.) Junior free, pupils .. 873 909 1.782 836 971 1,807 (b.) Senior free pupils .. 80 121 201 103 134 237 Totals .. .. 953 1,030 1,983 939 1,105 2.044 (iii.) Maori secondary schools .. 43 58 101 41 55 96 (iv.) Technical high schools — («.) Junior free pupils .. 798 . 897 1.695 906 1.005 L ,911 (b.) Senior free pupils .. 81 139 220 102 137 239 Totals .. .. 879 1,036 1,915 1.008 1,142 2,150 Grand totals .. 4,976 4,849 9,825 5,225 5,296 10,52.1 Scholarships held at Secondary Schools and District High Schools. (See also Tables K5 and L5 in E-(>.) 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 and Senior National Scholarships in the proportion of 9 to 5 are awarded on the results of annual examinations, the junior examination being of a standard somewhat higher than that of the certificate of proficiency, and the senior examination being of a standard comparable with the standard of the Public Service Entrance Examination. Scholarships are awarded to all candidates reaching a certain standard, the standard of award being determined so as approximately to provide one scholarship for every 500 children in attendance at all public schools. In the case of pupils from sole-teacher schools- i.e., schools with an average attendance of under 36 —the standard of award is made 10 per cent, lower than the general standard. The standards of qualification fixed for the 1917 examinations were 63| per cent, for junior scholarships (general standard) and 63 per cent, for senior scholarships. The results of the examination were as follows : 240 candidates qualified for Junior National Scholarships, of which number 17 were pupils of sole-teacher schools and 62, or 26 per cent., were pupils of secondary schools. The number of successful candidates from-sole-teacher schools was slightly lower than in the previous year, and, as has'been stated before, represents too small a proportion of the number of scholarships being won by pupils of small schools. The number