E.—s.

1. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION. Wellington, 15th June, 1930. SIB, — I have the honour to present the report for the year 1930. The total number of students in part-time day and evening classes was 11,829, of whom 5,994 held junior or senior free places and 5,835 paid fees. Of the total number, 1,210 had been attending primary schools in the previous year. From Table J 8 appended to this report it will be seen that 6,711 students, being 56-7 per cent, of the total, were seventeen years of age or over, while 1,171, or 9-9 per cent., were under fifteen years of age. Of this 9-9 per cent., however, a considerable number, probably at least one-third, were part-time day pupils included among the 1,305 persons of " no occupation " as given in Table J 7 appended to this report. Tables A and B below give some indication of the way in which attendance at technical schools has changed in recent years.

Table A. —Number of Students, according to Ages, admitted to Classes at Technical Schools other than Technical High-school Classes; also Primary School "Leavers" joining Technical Schools in the next Year.

Table B. —Students in Technical Classes: Numbers attending from certain Groups of Occupations.

The enrolment at technical high schools and technical day schools of full-time pupils taking courses under the Regulations for Manual and Technical Instruction was 8,002 at the Ist July, 1930, as compared with 7,536 at the corresponding date in the previous year. The enrolment of 8,002 consisted of 4,395 boys and 3,607 girls. Of the boys 2,278 took industrial courses, 445 agriculture, 837 commercial work, 693 a general course, and 142 an art course. Of the girls 1,142 took the domestic course, 1,944 the commercial, 262 the general, and 259 the art course. Buildings and equipment have been maintained in good order and condition throughout the year and some necessary additions to buildings have been made. The question of additional accommodation has become more urgent during the year, the increase of day pupils being 6-2 per cent, on the roll of the previous year. Owing to difficulties of finance, it has been impossible to provide for more than the most urgent oases, and some developments of considerable importance have necessarily been postponed. The character and quality of the instruction in technical schools and technical high schools is gradually improving, with the gradual improvement in the strength of staffing ; but there is little visible alteration from year to year, and the report last year applies substantially to the conditions of the year at present under review.

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(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) Students ad- First-year Totals mitted who Junior Free TWaia nf of Cylinder 13 13-15 15-17 Over 17 Tn+ni« left a Primary Place Pupils rninmns umns Years of Age. Years of Age. Years of Age. Years of Age. ' School in the in «. Six Year. Previous Technical blx ana 8even * and Year. High Schools. Seven M. F. M. F. M. F M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. ®,°th 1926 .. 170 205 937 72812,68sjl,375)3, 979 2,602 7,771 4,910 1,037 616 1,960 1,631 2,997 2,247 5,244 1927 .. 85 68 783 5692,7011,462:4,3462,3947,9154,493 857 637 1,846 1,576 2,703 2,213 4,916 1928 .. 59 70 604 5162,2051,302 4,138 2,0697,006 3,957 700 472 2,023 1,663 2,723 2,135 4,858 1929 .. 51 56 621 577 2,3421,354 4,093 2,093 7,1074,080 853 591 2,127 1,749 2,980 2,340 5,320 1930 .. 32 45 613 481 2,545 l,402j4, 5042,147 7,754|4, 075 791 419 2,387 1,941 3,078 2,360 5,438 Note.—The 1928 and 1929 figures show roll at the 30th June in each year.

Commercial, &c. Engineering and Building. rt . g . <»" hn d O? . "3 . . S % ~ Year cs I b 03 § <§ 03 § 03 c> ,§ 03 g £ " 3 S i£o?$ „ £g § V 2 g 1 □,§ |||| . g Total. || | |3 . J Jl Total. - g | °fs glsll | 1m | ||§ | |E$ |8 | O co Pi Ph h 1926 .. 2,513 1,016 197 147 3,873 812 488 811 90S 190 3,206 7,079 800 1927 .. 2,573 1,063 198 188 4,022 979 444 828 971 193 3,415 7,437 676 1928 .. 2,253, 1,090 154 175 3,672 912 375 740 825 218 3,070 6,742 650 1929 .. 2.303 1,165 194 131 3,793 885 302 826 762 246 3,021 6,814 625 1930 .. 2,456 1,249 193 154 4,052 1,180 331 774 919 287 3,491 7,543 614 Note —The 1928 and 1929 figures show roll at the 30th June in each year; the 1930 figures are the roll at 1st July