THEIR WALK IN LIFE

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12393, 12 March 1926, Page 9

THEIR WALK IN LIFE

NOVEL CLASSIFICATION LEGAL PROFESSION OVERCROWDED FARMING NEGLECTED Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, March 11. j».t the end of last year headmasters of high schools and technical school: throughout the Dominion were asked by the Minister for Education to furnish information showing what walks of life' were pursued by pupils who left at the end of the year. Results which have been tabulated farm interesting reading. Figures as quoted by Sir James Parr in the course of his address at the opening of the assembly hall at Mount Albert Grammar School are as follow (they apply to the 5000 pupils who left high schools last year):—Boys: University training, 2 per cent.; teaching profession, 3 per cent.; Government servioe, 9 per cent.; banking and insurance, 4 per cent.: legal, 1 per cent.; commerce, 9 per cent.; engineering and surveying, 7 per cent.; trades and industries, 16 per cent.; shout and warehouses, 7 per cent.; farming, 19 per cent.; other occupations, S per cent.; home, 6 per cent.; information unobtainable, 14 per cent.; total, 100 per cent. Girls: University training, 2 per cent.; teaching profession, 10 per cent.; Government service. 1 per cent.; banking and insurance, nil; legal, 1 per cent,; commerce, 13 per cent.; engineering and surveying, nil; trades and industries, 1 per cent.; shops and warehouses, 6 per cent.; farming, 1 per cent.; other occupations, 5 per cent., home, 57 per cent.; information unobtainable. 3 per cent.; total, 100 per cent. Commenting upon the figures the Minister said he would like ta have seen more than 19 per cent, of boys taking up farming. There was one matter upon which they might congratulate themselves, however, and that was the fact that only one per cent, of the boys leaving • school last year ventured into the legal profession. Even that was quite enough. (Laughter.)' People had evidently awakened to the fact that the law was grossly overcrowded. In his own view no more than 50 new lawyers were required in the Dominion each year. He was glad that steps were being taken to revise the examination tests for law students, and he expected useful things of the special council which was to be set up.