8.—5

5

During the year 943 returned soldiers attended as free students at technical classes in twenty-seven centres. Instruction was provided in the following subjects: Electrical, motor, and mechanical engineering; plumbing; wool-classing; sheep-shearing; art; carpentry and joinery ; and commercial subjects. The Repatriation Board, as in 1919, provided the funds for additional instructors and equipment wherever necessary. The following technical schools had a roll of more than 500, exclusive of the technical high schools carried on in connection with some of them : — _, , , Number on Roll. Sohl '" 1 - 1919. 1920. Christchurch Technical School .. .. .. ..1,368 1,598 Dunedin Technical School. . .. .. .. ..1,377 1,302 Auckland Technical School . . . . . . 1,285 1,236 Wellington Technical School .. .. .. ..1,202 1,146 Palmerston North Technical School . . . . 580 695 Wanganui Technical School .. . . 619 677 Invercargill Technical School . . . . . . . . 630 542 Capitation earnings for the year amounted to approximately £39,240, as against £42,802 earned in 1919. In addition to the class capitation earned, however, payments totalling £3,239, representing capitation on account of part-time teachers and increases in salaries of full-time instructors, were made, making a, grand total of £42,479. Technological examinations were conducted by the Department on behalf of the City and Guilds of London Institute at fourteen centres in the Dominion. The total number of entries was 292, an increase of 124 on the number for the/previous year, and the number of passes was 185, or 63-3 per cent. A bronze medal was awarded to one candidate for electrical installation work, Grade 1. Technical High Schools. The year was marked by a distinct fall in the number of pupils taking the commercial and general courses. In all other courses an increase is shown. A significant fact is that the boys for the first time outnumber the girls in these schools. The number of students in attendance at technical high schools during the year was as follows : — ,_.,'.. . Number of Students. Technioal High Schools. ~,.,. IQ2O Christchurch .. .. .. .. .. .. 596 581 Auckland .. .. .. .. .. ..587 476 Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. ..435 385 Wanganui .. .. .. .. .. ..300 312 Wellington .. .. .. . . . . .. 405 299 Invercargill .. .. .. .. .. 300 298 Napier .. . . .. . . . . 275 249 Hawera .. .. .. .. .. .. 142 Westport .. .. .. .. .. 28 24 Totals .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,926 2,766 The, numbers of pupils taking up the various courses provided were as follows : —■

umber of Pupil: i. Increase over 1919. Course. Boys. Girls. Total. industrial Jommercial and general . . Domestic . .f| Vgriculture . .|j| - . . kt .. -. Jj 839 413 232 1 945 330 839 1,358 330 232 7 + 53 -277 + 33 + 29 + 2 6 Totals 1,485 ■1,281 2,766 -160