E.—s

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

Financial. The total amount due by the Department to the controlling authorities for the salaries and incidental expenses of all technical classes, including technical high schools, was approximately £125,651, made up as follows :— £ Salaries of full-time teachers and Directors . . .. .. .. 83,672 Capitation for part-time teachers .. .. .. .. .. 16,854 Capitation for student teachers .. .. .. .. .. 2,261 Overtime payments .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,575 Incidental allowances .. .. .. .. .. .. 27,573 College classes capitation 135,655 Less recoveries from tuition fees .. .. .. .. 10,004 Totals .. .. .. .... £125,651

2. REPORTS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND OF THE INSPECTOR OF MANUAL AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION. Sir,—. Education Department, Wellington, 3rd August, 1924. 1 have the honour to report as follows in regard to certain aspects of technical education in the Dominion for the; year 1923. 1 have again to report a large increase in the enrolment of full-time pupils in technical high schools, and also of full-time pupils in the day classes of other technical schools, such as Hamilton, New Plymouth, Ashburton, Falmerston North, and Timaru, which are practically conducted as technical high schools but are not recognized as such by the Department. The total enrolment of full-time day pupils was approximately 5,700, an increase; of over 900 on the numbers for the previous year. The numbers attending evening classes and other part-time courses showed a slight increase as compared with those for the previous year. The greater part of this increase was due to heavier entries in classes conducted in the large centres, numbers attending in country towns being for the most part disappointingly small. In comparing the numbers with those listed in E.-5 for years previous to 1922 it must, however, be remembered that the; exclusion from the present returns of primary pupils of private schools taking manual training in technical schools, and also of teachers in special classes for science, drawing, &c, formerly included, reduces the total by nearly 4,000. The most encouraging feature of evening-class work at the present time is probably the large enrolment of apprentices in the building and allied trades in the larger technical schools. The increase is an indication of renewed activity in the building trades throughout the Dominion. A similar large increase in numbers of pupils from the electrical trades is probably due to the demand for electricians in connection with the hydro-electric schemes now being developed in this country.

5

Boys. 1922. Girls. i Totals. 1923. Boys. Girls. Totals. j. ., \ First year unior free pupils \ a j 1 l I Second year fFirst year lenior free pupils <{ Second year Third year 1,213 668 227 92 18 929 532 193 94 13 2,142 1,200 420 186 31 1,512 814 275 90 34 1,117 613 239 79 22 2,629 1,427 514 169 56 Totals I 2,218 1,761 3,979 2,725 2,070 4,795