98

E.—7 A.

Courses. —The percentage of students taking the various courses are as under Men. Women. Men. Women. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Arts .. .. 28 67 Engineering .. 5 Science .. 9 5 Law .. .. .. 25* 2 Medical .. .. 15 7 Commerce .. .. 12 2 Dental 1 4 2 Other .. 2 7 Home Science .... 8 1.00 100 Free Tuition. Fifty-eight per cent, of the full-time students, 98 per cent, of the training-college students, and 30 per cent, of the other evening students hold scholarships or bursaries entitling them to free university tuition. The numbers of free students expressed as percentages of the total students taking the various courses are : Arts, 73 per cent. ; Science, 56 per cent. ; Medical, 40 per cent.; Dental, 42 per cent. ; Home Science, 69 per cent. ; Law, 31 per cent.; Commerce, 17 per cent.; Engineering, 33 per cent. Fifty-three per cent, of the men and 37 per cent, of the women receive free tuition. It is to be noted that university bursaries and scholarships are tenable for four years only, and do not cover the whole course for medicine or dentistry. Similarly, the Home Science bursaries are tenable for three years only, whereas the degree course normally extends over three years. Years at University. Thirty-four per cent, of the students are freshmen, and the balance are accounted for as under: — Per Cent. Students in second year .. .. .. .. .. 27 Students in third year.. .. .. .. .. .. ..17 Students in fourth year . . . . . . . . . . ..11 Students in fifth year .. . . . . .. . . .. .. 7 Students in sixth year or later .. . . . . . . . . . . 4 Sixty per cent, of the men and 64 per cent, of the women are in either their first or their second year, and the percentages who have attended for more than three years are 23 per cent, (men) and 17 per cent, (women). There is also a marked difference as between the four colleges, arising principally from the varying periods of years for which students remain at college:— Auckland. Victoria. Canterbury. Otago. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. First year .. .. .. 39 29 38 32 Second year.. .. .. 26 29 29 24 Third year .. .. .. 18 19 16 17 Fourth year.. .. .. ..9 14 9 11 Fifth year .. .. .. ..6 5 6 9 Sixth year or later .. . . 2 4 2 7 100 100 100 100 These figures suggest that the students of Victoria College and the University of Otago remain longer than those at the other colleges. Only 17 per cent, of Auckland's students and the same percentage at Canterbury (compared with Victoria 23 per cent., and Otago 25 per cent.) are in their fourth or later year. 2. Secondary-school Course. (a.) Total Period (New Zealand Totals). —-Seventy-four per cent, of the students attended for at least four years at a secondary school ; 36 per cent, had five years ; 10 per cent, had six years ; and 2 per cent, had seven years. The women students had on the average a longer secondary education than the men, the percentage having four years being 82 per cent, of the women, compared with 71 per cent, of the men. A similar comparison between the full-time students and the evening students shows a marked advantage in the case of the former, 90 per cent, of these having a four-years secondary course, as against 65 per cent, of the evening students ; the percentage having five years at a secondary school are 54 and 26 respectively ; having six years and over, 18 per cent, and 5 per cent, respectively. Auckland: Of the students —68 per cent, had at least four years at a secondary school; 24 per cent, had five years or more ; 3 per cent, had six years or more ; 1 per cent, had seven years or more. Sixty-four per cent, of the men, 77 per cent, of the women, had at least four years. Of the full-time students, 91 per cent, had a four-years course and 45 per cent, had five years, compared with 58 per cent, (four years) and 19 per cent, (five years) for training-college students, and with 62 per cent, (four years) and "19 per cent, (five years) respectively for other evening students. Victoria : Of the students—7B per cent, had four or more years ; 37 per cent, had five or more years ; 9 per cent, had six or more years ; 1 per cent, had seven or more years. Seventy-four per cent, of the men, 85 per cent, of the women, had at least four years. Of the full-time students, 94 per cent, liad four years and 72 per cent, had five years ; of the training-college students the percentages are 67 and 26 respectively ; and. of the other evening students 77 and 35 respectively.