E.—l

Technical High Schools. The number of students in attendance at technical high schools in 1925 was 5,132, compared with 5,369 in the previous year. The numbers of pupils taking the various courses provided were as follows : —

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 for the year 1925, was approximately £148,090, made up as follows : — Salaries of full-time teachers and Directors .. .. .. .. 100,158 Capitation for part-time teachers .. .. .. .. .. 19,643 Capitation for student teachers .. .. .. .. .. 1,968 Overtime payments .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,186 Incidental allowances .. .. .. .. .. .. 32,193 158,148 Less recoveries from tuition fees .. .. .. .. 10,058 Totals .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £148,090 CHILD WELFARE. During last session the Child Welfare Act was passed by the Legislature. The Act provides for the creation of a special branch of the Education Department to be known as the Child Welfare Branch, and is designed to make better provision with respect to the maintenance, care, and control of children who are specially under the protection of the State, and to provide generally for the protection and training of indigent, neglected, or delinquent children. An important section of the Act provides for the establishment of Children's Courts, to be presided over by Stipendiary Magistrates or Justices specially authorized to exercise jurisdiction in these Courts. Provision is made for the appointment of honorary associates of either sex, whose function it will be to consider

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1925. 1924. ComCourse. Number of Pupils. Number of Pupils. parison with 1924. Boys. J Girls. Total. Boys. Girls. | Total. I I . I Commercial .. .. .. 469 1,333 1,802 515 1,255 1,770 + 32 Industrial .. .. .. 1,330 1 1,331 1,349 .. 1,349 — 18 General .. .. .. 606 323 929 720 375 1,095 —166 Domestic .. .. .. .. 744 744 .. 778 778 — 34 Agricultural .. .. .. 280 .. 280 332 .. 332 — 52 Art .. .. .. .. 25 21 46 19 26 45 + 1 Totals.. .. .. 2,710 2,422 5,132 2,935 2,434 5,369 -237

1925. 1924. Com1 : ; *r — * <■ parison Boys, i Girls. : Totals. Boys. Girls. Totals. "' l ' 1 | | Junior free mimls First " 1)378 1 > 226 2 > 604 l ' iU 1 ' 202 2 > 678 ~ 74 Junior tree pupils^ gecond year 815 711 1526 90 2 756 1,658 -132 fFirst year .. 298 260 558 285 235 520 + 38 Senior free pupils <! Second year .. 82 66 148 90 89 179 — 31 year .. 27 28 55 36 15 _ 51 . + 4 Totals.. .. .. 2,600 2,291 4,891 2,789 2,297 5,086 -195