43

E.—l

The number of students in attendance at technical high schools during the year Was aS follows .*— ffigh Number of Students. Auckland .. .. .. .. .. ..535 595 Christchurch .. .. .. .. .. 453 532 Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. .. 339 422 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. ..336 414 Invercargill .. .. .. .. .. .. 280 297 Wanganui .. .. .. .. .. 250 258 Napier .. .. .. .. - .. .. .. 127 203 Westport .. .. .. .. .. .. 27 26 2,347 2,747 The enrolment of students for the year, -which shows an increase of 400 pupils— .1.7 per cent, on that for 1917 —must be regarded with satisfaction when it is recognized that these boys and. girls were continuing their education beyond the primary stage, which in all probability would not have been the case had there been no technical high schools. Of the total, number in attendance 698, or 55 per cent., received industrial training in mechanical and electrical engineering and allied trades, and 1,482 boys and girls took the commercial course. The number of pupils taking up the various courses provided was as follows : — C ourse Number of Pupils. Boys. Girls. Total. Industrial . . .. .. .. ... 698* .. 698 Commercial and general .. .. .. 390 1,092 1,482 Domestic .. .. .. .. .... 385 385 Agriculture .. .. .. .. .. 177 .. 177 Art .. .. .. .;. .. .... 5 5 Totals .. .. .. .. 1,265 1,482 2,747 It will be seen that nearly 54 per cent, of the pupils took commercial and general courses, probably due to the demand for the services of young persons so trained brought about by war conditions, but more probably due, as has been well said, to " the primal curse which demands that as soon as the law permits the children must be turned into money —must become wage-earners—contributors to the family exchequer." The commercial course appears to be the shortest cut to this desired end ; results from the economic standpoint may be questionable. Capitation amounting to £32,474 was earned in respect of 2,692 pupils (of whom 2,455 were free pupils), as compared with £28,119 in 1917 in respect of 2,303 pupils. The average amounts of capitation earnings per head were £12*56 in the case of free pupils who qualified for capitation, and £6-9 in the case of other pupils.

Number of Pupils receiving Free Education at Technical High Schools under the Regulations for Free Places.

Financial. The total capitation earnings of all classes, including technical high schools, amounted approximately to £67,391 (as compared with £61,868 for the previous year), of which £27,653 was earned by classes conducted by Education Boards, £36,368 by classes conducted by Technical School Boards and Managers, and £3,370 by classes conducted by University Colleges and High School Boards.

1918. 1917. Boys. Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. Total. r . » ., First year lunioi* tree inuiils c \ 1 L ISecond year ["First year Senior free pupils <j Second year year 700 353 84 22 3 711 449 152 27 3 1,411 802 236 49 0 595 311 ■ 82 19 1 027 378 115 18 4 1,222 689 197 37 5 Totals 1,102 1,342 2,504 1,008 1,142 2,150