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TECHNICAL EDUCATION. General. Number of Schools. —The number of technical high schools open during 1929 was fourteen, in addition to which there were seven organized technical or art schools offering full-day courses. From the Ist January, 1927, the New Plymouth Technical Day School was amalgamated with the New Plymouth High School, and the statistics as far as the full-time pupils are concerned are included in the secondary schools report. Technical classes were conducted at twenty of the twenty-one centres referred to above, and also at seventeen other centres, the total number of centres for all classes being thirty-eight. Attendance. —The following table shows the numbers in attendance at technical schools and classes in 1929 :—

In the technical high schools and technical day schools the total enrolments increased from 7,817 in 1928 to 8,266 in 1929, an increase of 5-7 per cent. It is to be noted that the increase in the numbers in both day and evening classes is due to the increase in the number of free pupils, more than balancing a diminution in the numbers of other pupils. Staffing. —On the 30th June, 1929, there were 327 full-time assistant teachers on the staffs of technical schools, besides a large number of part-time teachers. There were also twenty full-time student teachers, eleven being males and nine females. The following table shows the classification of the 327 full-time assistant teachers, Class VII being the highest: —

It is interesting to note that in the last ten years the number of Division I teachers has increased from sixty-three in 1920 to 188 in 1929 — i.e., an increase of 198 per cent., while the number of Division II teachers has increased from 112 to 1.39, an increase of only 24 per cent. The average rates of salary on the 30th June, 1929, were as follows : Principals (male), £658 (excluding house allowance). Assistants —Men, £403 ; women, £259 ; both, £347. All teachers (Principals and assistants) —Men, £429; women, £259 ; both, £367.

I —-—■ Free. Other. Total. Total number of pupils on the roll of technical high ancl technical day 7,324 212 7,536 schools at 30th June, 1929 Total number of students in attendance at other technical classes (i.e., 5,627 5,560 11,187 part-time and evening classes) at 30th June, 1929 Grand total .. .. .. .. .. 12,951 5,772 18,723

Division I. Division II. Glass. Totals. Men. Women. Men. Women. I I VII .. .. . J .. 2 .. 4 6 VI ...... 7 5 6 10 28 V .. .. .. .. ! 24 9 12 '20 65 IV .. .. .. j 34 7 17 17 75 III ...... j 30 9 17 3 59 II .. .. .. .. | 17 8 12 10 47 I .. .. .. ..18 18 6 5 47 Totals, 1929 .. .. 130 58 70 69 327 Totals, 1928 .. ..119 57 61 65 305