E.—l

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in the principal centres of population throughout the year, and of these only 338 were "actually admitted to receiving-homes or training institutions, 205 were placed on probation and supervised in their own homes, and the remainder were dealt with generally in a summary manner not calling for supervision by Probation Officers. Infant-life Protection and Adoption of Children. At the end of the year there were 742 children being maintained in 601 licensed foster-homes. Of these, 497 homes each had one child, 72 had two children each, and 27 homes had three each. The payments for the maintenance of each child ranged from ss. to £3 a week, but the average rate of payment was approximately 14s. 6d. a week. Adoptions. During the year 349 children were adopted, and in 44 of these cases premiums were received by the Department's agents and paid out at the rate of 15s. a week for each child concerned. Of the total number of children adopted, 76 were under the age of six months, .34 between the age of six and twelve months, and 144 between the age of one and six years. Care and Training of Afflicted Children. School for the Deaf, Sumner. The pupils under instruction during the year numbered 135, and of these 38 were day pupils and 97 boarders. In 1920 special day classes for partially deaf children and for stammerers were established in Auckland, Wellington, and Dunedin, which have been continued with highly successful results. About 240 children attended the classes last year. Provision has also been made in these centres and in Christchurch for night classes for the instruction of the adult deaf, 97 persons afflicted in this manner attending the classes in 1922. Special Schools for the Feeble-minded. There are two such special schools —one at Richmond for girls, and one at Otekaike, near Oamaru, for boys. The number of girls in residence at Richmond at the end of the year was 65, and the number of at Otekaike 165. Expenditure. The total net expenditure by the Department for the year 1922-23 on the above services was as follows : — £ School for the deaf .. .. .. .. .. .. 6,423 Education for tho blind .. .. .. .. .. .. 90 Schools for the feeble-minded .. .. .. .. .. 8,263 Industrial schools, receiving-homes, probation system, boarding-out-system, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 94,502 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. £109,278 HIGHER EDUCATION. New Zealand University and Affiliated Colleges. The New Zealand University, the body which has general control of higher education in New Zealand, was founded by the New Zealand University Acts of 1870, 1874, and 1875. In 1876 the University was recognized by Royal charter as entitled to grant the degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts, and Bachelor and Doctor of Law, of Medicine, and of Music. The Amendment Act of 1883, and the supplementary charter issued in December of the same year, added the degrees of Bachelor and Doctor of Science. By the provisions of the New Zealand University Act of 1908 and subsequent amending Acts the Senate of the University now has power to confer, in addition to those mentioned, the following degrees : Doctor of Literature ; Master of Laws, of Surgery, and of Science ; Bachelor, Master, and Doctor of Veterinary Science, of Dental Surgery, of Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Mining, and Metallurgical Engineering, of Naval Architecture, of Agriculture, of