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The total receipts of the University colleges (exclusive of special trusts) for the year 1923 amounted to £218,057, of which sum £121,733 was received directly from the Government and £3,700 indirectly from the Government through the University of New Zealand. The receipts from the Government included £44,810 maintenance grants and apportionment of national-endowment revenue, and £49,814 grants for buildings and equipment. Receipts from local sources included £25,963 income from reserves and £39,182 fees. The total payments amounted to £203,244, of which the principal items were — salaries, £95,230 ; buildings, £61,856 ; equipment, £7,008 ; administration, £14,949. GENERAL. Annual Examinations. The annual examinations conducted by the Department are as follows : (1) An examination to determine the grant of Junior Scholarships and junior free places, held in November ; (2) a main series for Public Service Entrance, Senior National Scholarship, senior free place purposes, and the qualifying examination for Railway Engineering Cadets, held in November ; (3) an August series for teachers' certificates of Classes D and C, and incidentally to some extent of Class B. The examinations were held at sixty-two centres in 1923. The total number of entries for all examinations was 11,691, of which number 10,116 candidates actually presented themselves for examination. A certain proportion of the absentees is due to the practice of the accrediting principle by which candidates for senior free places may be exempted from an external examination, as may also training-college students who are candidates for the teachers' examinations. 2,746 candidates were exempted in this manner from the necessity of passing the Intermediate Examination, of which number 1,384 are not included in the total of examination entries given above. The number of candidates actually presenting themselves for the various examinations during the last three years is shown below : — 1921. 1922. 192.'!. Junior National. Scholarships and junior free places .. .. 2,282 2,500 2,564 Public Service Entrance, Senior National Scholarships, and Intermediate • 3,4.19 3,544 4,222 Teachers D and 0 .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,921 3,227 3,319 Public Service Senior . . .. .. . . .. .. 28 Kindergarten Certificate Examination .. .. . . .. 2 5 6 Special Public Service Entrance Examination in June . . . . 248 London University Examinations .. .. .. .. 2 .. 1 Qualifying Examination Railway, Engineering Cadets .. .... 9 4 8,902 9,285 10,116 Of the 2,049 candidates for Junior National Scholarships in 1923, 241 obtained the scholarship qualification, 530 qualified for a free place in the scholarship examination, and 1,278 failed. There were also 515 candidates for free places only, of whom 36 qualified and 479 failed. Of the 1,073 candidates for Senior National Scholarships 134 gained scholarships, 676 qualified for senior free places, and 263 failed. Only four of the total number of candidates were examined on the Scheme B (Rural and Domestic) Course, none of whom qualified for scholarships. There were 2,801 entries for the Intermediate Examination, only 1,692 candidates presenting themselves, of which number 484 passed and 1,208 failed to do so. The number present at the Public Service Entrance Examination was 1,457, 708 of the number passing and 749 failing the examination. By arrangement with the General Manager, New Zealand Railways, a qualifying examination was held for Railway Engineering Cadets. Out of the four candidates who presented themselves for examination two passed and two obtained partial passes. The number of candidates who sat for the different stages of the teachers' certificate examinations was 3,319 (421 for the whole or part of Class C and 2,898 for Class D). Of the total number 464 obtained complete passes in Class D, 132 in Class C, 4in Class B, -and 1 in.Class A. 1,886 improved their status and 830 failed to improve their status.