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probationers. Seven hundred and thirty of these applicants had the minimum educational qualification necessary for appointment. About seven hundred of those with the minimum educational qualification were medically examined, and, with the exception of thirty-five applicants, were passed as physically fit for entrance to the Education service. It was possible, however, to find positions for only 556 of the applicants thus qualified. Supply of Teachers. In pursuance of the practice followed in the past few years the number of new entrants required to make good the wastage from the ranks of the teaching service was carefully estimated by the Department, and, as a result, the Education Boards were advised that the position would be adequately met by the appointment in 1929 of 556 probationers. Training of Teachers. The period of training for a young person desiring recognition by the Department as a trained teacher is now four years, consisting in general of one year as a probationer in a public school, two years as a training-college student, and one year as a probationary assistant in a public school. In the case of a few students desirous of qualifying as specialist teachers the training-college course is extended for a third year, and the requirement as to service as a probationery assistant is in these cases dispensed with. As stated at an earlier stage in this report, there were in 1929, 547 probationers and 224 probationary assistants employed in public schools. The table which follows will show that in the same year there were 1,183 young persons in attendance at the four training colleges. There were thus in 1929 1,954 young persons receiving training in Government institutions for the teaching profession. The number in the previous year was 1,819. The following table shows the number of students in training in the four training colleges during 1929. The figures for the previous year are also given for the purposes of comparison : —

Students may be admitted to the training colleges under one or other of the following divisions : Division A, students who, having obtained the necessary educational qualifications, have completed a course of training as probationers, or have completed a course of training at a recognized kindergarten school, or have completed a full-time course as student teachers in a technical school; Division B, other students who, being over seventeen years of age, have obtained higher leaving certificates or partial passes in the Class D Examination or have obtained equivalent or higher qualifications ; Division C, University graduates admitted for one year ; Division D. teachers entering on short-period studentships. The numbers of students under the several divisions in 1929 were : Division A, 1,145 ; Division B, nil ; Division C, 24 ; and Division D, 14 : total, 1,183. The numbers for the previous year were : Division A, 1,079 ; Division B, 11 ; Division C, 24 ; and Division D, nil : total, 1,114. In October, 1929, the regulations governing admission to training colleges were amended and, commencing in 1930, any young person desiring admission as a Division B student will require to (1) be not less than seventeen years of age ; (2)

1928. 1929. College. — r — — - Men. ! Women. ! Total. Men. | Women. Total. _ ' I 1 I Auckland .. .. .. 118 263 381 116 253 369 Wellington .. .. .. 57 172 229 48 186 234 Christchurch .. .. .. 82 174 256 87 203 290 Dunedin .. .. .. 84 164 248 95 195 290 Totals .. .. 341 773 1,114 346 837 1,183