COST OF PRIMARY EDUCATION IN NEW ZEALAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES (COMPARATIVE RETURN OF).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1884 Session II, E-02

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Sess. 11.—1884. NEW ZEALAND.

COST OF PRIMARY EDUCATION IN NEW ZEALAND AND OTHER COUNTRIES (COMPARATIVE RETURN OF).

Return to an Order of the House of Representatives, dated 10th September, 1884, Ordered, " That a return, compiled from the latest authentic information, be laid before this House, showing thd cost per scholar of primary education in New Zealand, in the Australian Colonies, and in England ; also the school age as established by law in the above-mentioned places and in America; and also the cost of primary education in New Zealand from 1877 to 1883, both years inclusive." — (Mr. Montgomery.)

No. 1. Memorandum of the Secretary for Education. Education Department, Hon. Minister of Education. Wellington, 26th August, 1884. In accordance with instructions received from you, I submit the following notes relating to expenditure on public (primary) schools. The secondary schools, the University of New Zealand, and the University Colleges have been constituted and endowed by Acts of the Legislature, and have been severally placed under the independent control of local governing bodies; the Education Department is in no way responsible for their administration. ~ The following tables are extracted from the seventh annual report of the Minister of Education, (Appendix to Journals of House of Eepresentatives, E.-l, 1884). They supply a considerable amount of information concerning the expenditure on the public schools. Tables El and E2 show, under different heads, the income and expenditure of the Education Boards since the abolition of the provinces to the year 1883 inclusive. The year 1877 was a year of transition ; the provinces were abolished towards the close of 1876, and the Education Act of 1877 did not come into operation till January, 1878. Table A 2 should be examined along with Tables Fl and F2. It shows the yearly increase in the average daily attendance since 1877. As the attendance has increased every year since the Act of 1877 came into operation, the aggregate yearly current expenditure has necessarily increased also. In Table E2 the current expenditure on the public schools is shown under the three heads (1) Management by Boards, (2) Inspection and Examination, and (3) Maintenance of Schools. The amount of expenditure on school buildings has varied from year to year, having been mainly dependent upon the amount of the parliamentary special vote. Table F3 shows the average cost per scholar for the year 1883, under the same four heads as those specified in Table E2.

TABLE F1. —Summary of Boards' Income. (E.-1., 1884, p. vii.)

* Including sums raised by School Committees and expended on education without going through the Boards' books, as follows: New Plymouth, £750 Is.; Hawke's Bay, £814 4s. 5d.; Otago, £20,828 3s. 2d. f Including balances excluded from summaries of former years. t The Auckland College and Grammar School and the Ofeago High School were under the charge of the Education Boards diui]]£ the year 1877.

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Principal Heads. Year 1877. Year 1878. Year 1879. Tear 1880. Year 1881. Year 1882. Year 1883. Balance 1st Jan., 1877 .. Parliamentary grants,^ Maintenance Buildings Education reserves [jocal receipts,— School fees, &c. For buildings [nterest £ s. a. 32,490 7 6 £ s. d. £ s. a. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. a. 157,392 15 10 46,812 7 6 16,604 4 3 216,666 4 0 101,257 2 11 8,862 3 9 217,876 2 0 150,581 4 7 21,330 7 1 241,555 14 0 104,436 16 8 19,749 0 4 233,587 0 9 I 64,318 0 0 23,533 G 7 250,853 10 9 45,265 10 9 21,258 13 4 266,967 12 11 83,322 10 9 24,714 18 9 *41,955 11 4 1,193 7 1 3,005 0 0 1,284 14 3 1,799 5 9 1,231 7 9 3,048 17 2 924 8 6 1,965 12 3 1,739 5 0 1,415 8 5 599 1 2 380 0 0 2,354 13 6 1,411 10 0 439 3 5 1,221 13 6 2,155 1 2 858 4 0 Ordinary income.. Deposits, refunds, &c. .. 296,445 13 6 2,798 10 11 331,075 5 5 6,361 1 4 395,867 4 4 2,708 13 10 370,370 16 9 2,893 9 5 323,832 16 11 2,269 8 11 321,583 1 9 5,425 11 9 379,240 1 1 2,886 13 5 Total receipts idd—Public libraries .. secondary schools} Balances, 1st January .. 299,244 4 5 337,436 6 9 398,575 18 2 t6,179 2 1 373,264 6 2 4,945 8 0 326,102 5 10 453 10 9 327,008 13 6 258 13 5 382,126 U 6 230 10 9 9,025 7 5 23,323 0 9 32,419 10 9 58,173 3 11 42,437 1 6 37,400'l5 9 11,53215 4 Totals .. 308,269 11 10 360,759 7 0 462,928 4 2 420,646 15 8 358,975 7 4 393,890 0 7 364,668 2 8

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TABLE F2.—Summary of Boards' Expenditure. (E.-1, 1884, p. vii.)

* Maintenance includes teachers' salaries and allowances, grants to Committees and schools, scholarships, training, fire insurance, &o. t Deducting overdrafts.

TABLE A2.—School Attendance and Yearly Increase for Six Years. (E.-1, 1884, p. ii.)

TABLE F3.—Expenditure per Scholar by Boards. (E.-1, 1884, p. viii.)

The table shows an iMreage in the cost of the Boards' management and inspection to the extent of 3Jd. yet scholar, and a decrease of 2d. per head on account of maintenance. The actual increase in the current expenditure was therefore at the rate of ljd. The receipt by the Boards for a full year of the special capitation grant of ss. hag

'rincipa] "ea< Is. 'car "ear "ear 'ear 188( Year 1881. Year 1882. Year 1883. Management by Boards inspection and examination Maintenance of schools* School buildings .. £ s. d. 10,484 14 10 £ s. d. 10,225 12 2 £ B. d. 11,109 8 10 £ s. d. 10,037 17 6 £ s. d. 8,109 6 9 £ s. d. 8,458 16 10 £ s. a, 9,662 12 £ 5,606 19 7 173,726 9 7 80,351 16 9 6,142 14 5 192,736 19 7 89,255 3 7 7,735 4 0 221,053 4 0 172,867 14 3 8,273 13 9 247,121 3 5 117,410 1 10 8,387 15 4 243,257 3 6 58,254 12 6 9,115 16 7 258,683 3 0 71,852 4 9 9,866 11 £ 272,484 9 c 86,748 13 C Ordinary expenditure Refunds and advances .. Total expenditure 270,170 0 9 3,610 8 4 298,360 9 9 4,225 13 10 412,765 11 1 1,651 11 0 382,842 16 6 726 7 0 318,008 18 1 2,011 15 10 348,110 1 2 5,001 4 9 370,762 6 2,077 9 idd —Public libraries .. Secondary schools .. 3alance, 31st Dec. t 273,780 9 1 302,586 3 7 414,417 2 1 6,074 0 7 383,569 3 6 4,658 1 5 320,020 13 11 1,553 17 8 353,111 5 11 24 1 5 380,839 16 42 12 11,166 2 0 23,323 0 9 58,173 3 11 42,437 1 6 32,419 10 9 37,400'l5 9 11,532 15 4 13,007 11 Total8 308,269 11 10 360,759 7 6 462,928 4 2 420,646 15 8 358,975 7 4 364,668 2 8 393,890 0 7

School Attendance. Yei urly Increase on Average Attendance. Average A1 itendance. Yeab. Number belonging at Beginning of Year. Number belonging at End of Year. Strict Average. Working Average. Number belonging at' Beginning of Year. Number belonging at End of Year. Strict Average. Working Averagi Fourth Whole Quarter. Year. Fourth Quarter. Whole Year. Fourth Whole Quarter. Year. Fourth Whole Quarter. Year, 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 50,849 59,707 68,124 74,359 76,309 79,416 55,688 65,040 75,566 82,401 83,560 87,179 92,476 49,435 57,301 62,946 63,009 66,426 70,077 45,521 53,067 60,625 61,822 63,709 67,373 41,773 50,639 58,738 64,407 64,744 68,288 72,214 40,837 47,996 54,724 62,234 63,735 66,145 69,843 8,858 8,417 6,235 1,950 3,107 9,352 10,526 6,835 1,159 3,619 5,297 7,866 5,645 63 3,417 3,651 7,546 7,558 1,197 1,887 3,664 8,866 8,099 5,669 337 3,544 3,926 7,15! 6,72! 7,511 1,50! 2,411 3,69!

Education Districts. m O CO ■gs Oh CM QJ II © • -Si si d © So II <J © Cost per Scholar for Current E. She Year 1883, calculated Attendance. :penditure. >n the Aver) tge Daily Total Current Expenditure and Buildings. Boards' Manage- Inspection, rnent. Maintenance. Totals. Soh9ol Buildings. mckland ?aranaki Vanganui Vellington lawke's Bay .. ilarlborough .. kelson Torth Canterbury South Canterbury Vestland No. 1 ) Veatland No. 2 \ )tago Southland 192 36 67 53 36 29 82 143 39 490 61 126 169 95 42 126 446 95 13,0T9 1,446 3,967 5,204 2,755 1,059 3,247 12,753 2,955 s. d. 2 6J 4 0i 4 6J 2 9? 2 n 3 4|3 0 2 3 3 10 f 8 7 I 10 5} 1 9J 2 7J s. d. 8 01 4 1J 2 9| 2 94 4 111 3 8J 3 2| 2 2 3 4J 3 ll| 4 llj 2 5J 2 5 £ s. d. 3 17 Of 3 9 10| 3 15 8 4 3 8} 3 12 8| 3 19 1 4 0 7| 4 1 11| ■3 12 8| 3 3 6J 3 11 0J 3 19 6f 3 13 11 £ s. d. 4 2 7J 3 18 0 4 3 0J 4 9 3J 4 0 3| 4 6 2 4 6 10 4 6 4| 3 19 ll| 3 3 6| 4 6 5| 4 3 9J 3 18 11J £ S. d. 17 6 13 3 16 5 1 4 0J 1 12 4J 2 2 If 0 14 4 16 2 2 4 3} 0 10 8| 1 19 6f 0 19 6§ 1 6 4} & s. d. 5 10 1J 5 13 5 9 5£ 5 13 3£ 5 12 7J 6 8 3f 5 12 5 12 6| 6 4 3 4 6 9| 6 6 0J 5 3 4| 5 5 4 35 81 2,319 159 72 433 127 16,659 4,400 'otals for 1883 totals for 1882 943 911 2,291 2,143 69,843 66,145 2 9J 2 6§ 2 9| 2 9 3 18 0J 3 18 2J 4 3 7J 4 3 6J 1 4 10 1 1 8| 5 8 5i 5 5 3 Increase .. 32 148 3,698 0 2J 0 Of 0 0 2 0 0 1} 0 3 1J 0 3 2J Totals for 1883, cal-\ culated on mean of roll-numbers at \ ends of four quarters—91,011 J Similar totals for 1882 2 1J 2 2 2 19 10J 3 4 2 0 19 0| 4 3 2| 1 11J 2 1J 2 19 81 '3 3 9j 0 16 7 4 0 4J

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probably led to the increase in the expenditure on management and inspection. The increase per scholar on account of school buildings is owing to the larger amount voted by the General Assembly for that object. As the expenses of the four training institutions are included in the Maintenance Account, the average cost per scholar in the Districts of Auckland, Wellington, North Canterbury, and Otago appears somewhat higher than it would otherwise have done. In considering the average current expenditure for each scholar in the several Board districts, it has to be kept in mind that the Board funds are made up not only from the capitation grant of £3 155., but also from the votes of the General Assembly for scholarships, inspection subsidy, the special capitation grant of 55., and from local receipts. The income of the Boards from local receipts last year was £1,221 13s. 6d. for current expenditure, and £2,155 Is. 2d. for school buildings. In the estimate of the cost of each child's education, shown in Table F3, no account is taken of the expenses of the Education Department (Head Office). These, however, did not much exceed £2,000 for the year, and a very large proportion of that amount is fairly chargeable to Native schools, industrial schools, and other work of the department outside public-school business. Management by Boards. —Table F2 shows that the amount of expenditure on management by Boards had fallen from £10,484 14s. lOd. in 1877 to £9,662 12s. 9d. in 1883, being a decrease of £822 2s. Id., notwithstanding the large increase in the number of schools, and the increase in the number of Boards from 10 to 12. It may be remarked that the largest expenditure was for 1877, that the Education Act of 1877 did not come into operation until the beginning of 1878, and that the lowest expenditure was for the year 1881. The low expenditure in 1881 was, no doubt, owing to the fact that the special grant of 10s. per average attendance had been withdrawn towards the end of 1880, and that the Government had impressed upon Boards the necessity of retrenchment in their departmental expenditure, as well as in that of the other branches of their service. The expenditure on management again rose slightly in 1882, and to a larger extent in 1883, owing in all probability to the restoration of a special grant of ss. per attendance. As might be expected, the cost of management per scholar is least in the case of those districts having the largest attendance and the greatest number of schools. Otago, Auckland, and North Canterbury stood highest as regards attendance and number of schools in 1883, and their average expenditure per scholar on management was Is. 9Jd., 2s. 6Jd., and 2s. 3d. respectively. On the other hand, the Boards of Marlborough, Taranaki, and Westland had the smallest school attendance, and, in their case, the average expenditure per scholar was higher than that of all others : it was 3s. 4f d., 4s. OJd., and 10s. s^-d. respectively. The Westland Board, from the outset, has gone far in excess of all the others in its departmental expenditure, which, in many respects, must be regarded as having been unnecessarily wasteful. The following table is instructive, as showing in detail the Boards' expenditure on management. It will be noticed that the allowances to members of Boards are not at all in proportion to the extent and importance of the district.

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Table No. 3. (E.-1, 1884, Appendix, p. 3.) Detailed Statement of the Expenditure of the several Education Boards on Management and on School Inspection (including Examination of Pupil-teachers), for the Year 1883. (Compiled from the Detailed Statements of Expenditure forwarded by Boards.)

Management by Boards. Inspection of Schools and Examination of Pupil-tenchers. Education Districts. Staff. Total of Management, Inspection, and Examination. Secretary,Treasufer, Clerks, Messengers, Clerical Assistance, tfec. Allowances to Members of Boards. Office Eent, Furniture, Repairs, &c. Fuel, Light, and Cleaning. Law Expenses. Printing. Advertising. Stationery. Sundries, including Stamps. Totals as in Column 2, Table No. 2. Salaries of Inspectors. Inspectors' Travelling Expenses, &c. Pupilteachers' Examinations. Totals as in Column 3, Table No. 2. £ s. d. 1,081 2 10 £ b. . 7 5 0 £ s. d. 170 5 5 £ s. d. 31 14 10 £ s. d. 5 17 0 £ s. d.| 145 0 6 £ s. d. 94 11 6 £ s. d. 69 11 2 B. d. 47 0 1 £ s. d.l 1,652 8 4j \ £ s. d. 1,533 6 8 £ s. d. 430 18 6 £ s. d. 15 8 8 £ s. d. 1,979 13 10 £ s. d. 3,632 2 2 Auckland Taranaki 157 2 6 80 10 0 4 11 0 8 9 0 ! 3 7 6 33 5 3 4 9 5 0 8 10 292 3 6 300 0 0 300 0 0 592 3 6 Wanganui 382 15 10 160 8 3 34 11 8 11 14 0 9 13 2 58 1 0 67 4 10 35 4 6 147 13 0 907 6 3 400 0 0 100 0 0 54 3 7 554 3 7 1,461 9 1C Wellington 324 0 0 30 7 3 0 11 6 130 13 8 63 12 6 .113 7 0 60 9 3 723 1 2 500 0 0 217 15 0 8 6 9 726 1 9 1,449 2 11 Hairke's Bay 250 0 Oj ' 4 12 6 63 18 10 35 15 0 11 10 0 365 10 4 500 0 0 150 0 0 32 5 0 682 5 0 1,048 1 4 Nelson ... 262 0 0; ! 70 19 0 14 16 0 ; 56 7 61 66 2 3 15 13 10 10 17 5 2 0 0 487 18 7 500 0 0 15 0 0 515 0 0 1,002 18 1 Marlborougli 112 10 0 0 8 6 i ! 21 14 3 34 16 7 180 6 9i 125 0 0 67 12 0 3 3 0 195 15 0 376 1 £ North Canterbury 1,160 12 4 22 13 0 43 4 9 21 0 0 115 18 11 28 2 7 36 8 10 11 18 6 1,439 18 11 950 0 0 284 2 9 139 18 2 1,374 0 11 I 2,813 19 1C South Canterbury 315 7 9 73 18 6 8 14 0 34 0 9 3 10 61 17 7 12 4 6 52 2 4! 566 6 5 375 0 0 | 101 16 2 22 18 10 499 15 0 1,066 1 5 WestlandNo. 1 "... 364 11 6 237 9 6 34 6 0 26 13 6 77 16 6' ill 5 6 57 8 0 11 11 0 75 18 8 997 0 2 j 333 6 8 ! 121 13 4 455 0 0 1,452 0 2 Otago ... 940 0 0 165 8 0 67 1 6 56 8 1 ... 111 13 2 56 0 6 77 3 10 1,473 15 1 1,450 0 0 589 3 6 13 5 0 !2,052 8 6 3,526 3 7 Southland 296 11 8 34 9 3 76 17 5 22 7 0 38 4 6i 77 5 3 14 5 2 16 11 0 576 11 3: 1 390 13 4 130 0 0 11 14 9 I 432 8 1 1,008 19 4 Totals for 18S3 ... 5,646 14 5 883 7 9 397 7 0 230 5 5 !276 6 4 851 11 9! 676 3 3 399 6 9 301 10 1 9,6C2 12 9 7,357 6 8 2,208 1 3 301 3 9 19,866 11 8 19,429 4 5 Totals for 1882 ... 5,328 18 11 649 14 7 280 6 10 238 2 3 47 2 6 :772 18 2 625 6 2 378 2 9, 138 4 8 8,458 16 10 6,570 10 8 2,107 4 2 437 1 9 9,114 16 7 17,573 13 5 Weatland No. 2 ... 77 4 0 133 6 8 575 0 0 1,797 8 4 385 0 6 237 9 6 34 6 0 42 18 6 228 8 8| Ill 5 6 11 11 0 94 4 8 1,222 8 4 441 13 4 „ Excess of No. 2 ... 20 9 0 ... 16 5 0 150 12 2 19 16 0 18 6 0 225 8 2l 108 6 8 11 13 4 120 0 0 345 8 2

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Inspection and Examination.— -Table F2 exhibits a gradual yearly increase in the cost of inspection and examination. This may be attributed to the larger number of schools and scholars, and to the fuller recognition of the truth of the maxim, "As is the inspection, so are the schools." The increasing attention given to the efficient inspection of the schools cannot but be regarded as a satisfactory feature. Maintenance of the Schools. —The amounts shown in Table F2, under the head " Maintenance of Schools," include teachers' salaries and allowances, scholarships, training of teachers, and grants to Committees and schools out of the ordinary current income. The table shows that there was a gradual increase of the aggregate expenditure during the years 1878,1879, and 1880, that there was a decrease in 1881 notwithstanding increased attendance and number of schools, and that there was an increase in 1882 and in 1883. The decrease in 1881 was evidently owing to the withdrawal, at the end of 1880, of the 10s. special vote, while the increase in the two following years was caused partly by the restoration of ss. as a special grant, and partly by the larger number of schools and the increasing attendance. The grant of ss. began to be paid on the Ist April, 1882. School Buildings. —The amount of expenditure on school buildings varies each year according to the liberality of the General Assembly. The lowest expenditure was in 1881, owing to the smallness of the school-buildings vote, which was £42,700. The expenditure was highest in 1879, because the sum of £175,000 had been voted. I may explain that the " school year "—lst January to 31st December—overlaps the financial year by three months. This causes an apparent discrepancy between the figures shown in the Education Eeport and those in the Treasury accounts, which are for the financial year. Average Annual Cost per Scholar. —Table A 2 shows that the average attendance upon which grants are paid had increased in six years—lB77 to 1883—from 40,837 to 69,843. The increase, 29,006, gives an average of 4,834 for each of the six years. From the annual reports of the Minister of Education the following table has been compiled, showing the average cost per scholar from 1877 to 1883 inclusive :—

Expenditure per Scholar each Year From 1877 to 1883.

It has already been explained why the rate of expenditure should appear lowest in the year 1881. Comparison between the Otago Expenditure in 1875 and in 1883. —The Education District of Otago in 1875 included Southland, which is now a separate District. For the purpose of a fair comparison the figures for Otago in 1883, shown in the following table, include those for Southland. In the expenditure of 1875 is included the sum of £17,216 Os. Id., which was raised from school fees and local voluntary contributions, and expended directly by the several School Committees.

Otago Expenditure in 1875 and in 1883 compared.

Average Cost per Scholar.

In 1875 there were one Board, one Secretary, and two Inspectors; in 1883 there were two Boards, two Secretaries, and four Inspectors. Comparison between the Canterbury Expenditure in 1875 and in 1883. —The Canterbury Education District of 1875 included the present districts of North Canterbury and South Canterbury. I have obtained the information for 1875 in this statement from the report of the Canterbury Minister of Education for the year ending 15th October, 1875. On page 4of the report is a

Authorities quoted. For Tear. Current Expenditure. School Buildings. Total Current Expenditure and School Buildings. 'arliamentary Paper, H.-l, 1878, page 6 .. H.-2, 1879, , 9 .. H.-Ia, 1880, , 9 .. E.-l, 1881, . 10 .. E.-l, 1882, , 9 .. E.-l, 1883, „ 10 .. E.-l, 1884, „ 8 .. 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 £ s. a. 4 14 8£ 4 6 2| 4 7 8 4 5 3} 4 16 4 3 6£ 4 3 7£ £ s. a. 1 17 6£ 3 3 2 1 17 8f 0 18 3£ 1 1 8| 1 4 10 £ s. d. 6 3 9 7 10 10 6 3 0J 4 19 9| 5 5 3 5 8 5J

Jurrent Expenditure. Total. Year. Maintenance of Schools. Total Current Expenditure. School Buildings. Average Attendance. Management and Inspection. Management, Maintenance, and Buildings. 1875 1883 £ s. a. 1,749 11 3 4,635 2 11 £ s. a. 39,418 19 1 82,532 6 7 £ s. a. 41,168 10 4 87,167 9 6 £ s. a. 25,000 0 0 22,097 4 7 £ s. a. 66,168 10 i 109,264 14 1 9,822 21,059

1875 1883 0 3 6} 0 4 4| 4 0 3 3 18 4£ 4 3 9f 4 2 9J 2 10 10f 110 6 14 8J C 3 9J

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summary of the year's expenditure ; pages 68 to 78 show the details. For the purpose of classification I have had to rearrange the several items as follows :— £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. Management and inspection.—Salaries ... 1,591 13 4 „ Less Drill-master 250 0 0 1,341 13 4 „ Printing and advertising... ... 507 14 7 „ Inspectors' forage ... ... 292 4 4 2,141 12 3 Maintenance of the schools.—Ordinary ... ... 29,349 11 5 Scholarships ... ... ... 904 10 11 Drill-master, £250 + £106 14s. 6d. 356 14 6 „ Miscellaneous... ... ... 656 8 0 ■ 31,332 0 5 School buildings.—Public schools ... ... ... 31,619 5 2 Normal school ... ... ... ... 9,937 3 10 Planting sites ... ~, ... ... 225 911 41,817 11 8 Total ... ... ... ... ... £75,291 11 7 I have thrown out the receipts and expenditure on account of the sale and purchase of books and appliances. If to the above total the expenditure on the depot (£863 15s. 7d.) were added, the amount (£76,155 7s. 2d.) would be the same as that given in the report, page 4. As far as I can gather from the report the receipts of the Canterbury Education Department in 1875 were derived as follows:— £ s. d. £ s. d. From Provincial Treasury ... ... ... ... 69,378 14 0 Voluntary contributions ... ... ... 699 19 2 Special rates ... ... ... ~, 5,212 18 5 1 5,912 17 7 Total same as above ... ... £75,29111 7 For a similar reason, as in the case of Otago, I have in the following table shown the figures for North Canterbury and South Canterbury together for 1883.

Canterbury in 1875 and in 1883 compared.

Average Cost per Scholar.

EXPENDITURE IN ENGLAND. The latest information received is that contained in the report of H.M. Committee of Council on Education, 1882-83. I take the following extracts from pages xxxvi. and xxxvii. of the report:— " The sum expended by School Boards in England during the year [1882] amounted to £3,946,317. . . . The expenditure may be divided into six headings, viz.:—(1), Administration; (2), Maintenance of schools; (3), Capital charges for works of a permanent character [sites, buildings, &c]; (4), Eepayment of loans contracted for capital charges; (5), Interest on loans; (6), Miscellaneous : and the proportion each bears to the total expenditure is shown by the following table: —

Current Expenditure. Total. Year. Management and Inspection. I i Maintenance. Total Current Expenditure. BuilSings. Management, Maintenance, ana Inspection. Average Attendance, 1875 1883 £ s. a. 2,141 12 3 3,880 1 3 £ s. a. 31,332 0 5 63,015 3 10 £ s. a. 33,473 12 8 66,895 5 1 & s. a. 41,817 18 11 23,232 10 7 & s. a. 75,291 11 7 90,127 15 8 7,240 15,708

1875 18S3 0 5 lOf 0 4 11} 4 6 61 4 0 2f 4 12 5$ 4 5 2 5 15 6£ 1 9 Y 10 7 11| 5 14 9

. Administration i. Maintenance of schools i. Capital charges for permanent works ... : . Repayment of loans ... '. Interest on loans ... '. Miscellaneous ... ■*.....-■- £ 249,108 2,054,473 1,043,250 169,304 422,765 7,416 6'3 per cent. 52-1 „ 26-4 „ 4-3 „ 10-7 „ 0-2 „ -'total £3,946,316 100-0

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. "The total expenditure of the year—viz., £3,946,317 —was met by— Bates ... ... ... ... £1,682,534 = 42-6 per cent. Grants, school fees, &c. ... ... ... 1,220,533 = 31-0 „ Loans ... ... ... ... 1,043,250 = 26-4 Total ... ... ... £3,946,317 100-0 "The expenditure on the maintenance of schools—viz., £2,054,473 —was defrayed from the following sources, viz.:— Bates ... ... ... ... £842,196 = 41-0 per cent. Grant ... ... ... ... 724,582 = 35-3 School fees, &c. ... ... ... 447,695 = 21-8 Other sources of school income ... ... 40,000 = 1-9 „ Total ... ... ... £2,054,473 100-0 " The cost of' maintenance' per child in average attendance was as follows: — England. London alone. 1. From ratepayers ... ... ... £0 17 6} £1 11 7 2. „ the children ... ... ... 0 9 5f 0 8 4f 3. „ endowments ... ... ... 0 0 1 0 0 0| 4. „ miscellaneous ... ... ... 0 0 6f 0 1 OJ--5. „ parliamentary grant ... ... 016 If 016 lOf Total ... ... ... £2 3 9£ £2 17 10f" The above does not include, as in the New Zealand calculation, the cost of scholarships and training of teachers, which in New Zealand was as follows :— Scholarships, say ... ... ... ... ... £0 1 6 Training, £7,740-=-69,8.43 ... ... ... ... 0 2 2f Total ... ... ... ... £0 3 8f In England the cost of administration (6-3 per cent.) by School Boards is not included under the heading " Maintenance." As School Boards in England correspond in a great measure to School Committees in New Zealand, and as the cost of School Committee management is included in the New Zealand calculation, allowance for this should be made in a comparison of the two systems. In England the following are the objects of expenditure included under " maintenance " —viz., " Salaries of teachers, books, repairs of furniture and buildings, lighting and warming." In New Zealand the returns of School Committees' expenses for 1883 show that at least 6d. per scholar had been expended, and this is included in the "maintenance " account. The comparison between England and New Zealand would stand somewhat as follows: — England,, per scholar ... ... ... ... £2 3 9J New Zealand, per scholar, Table F3 ... ... £3 18 0i ~ deduct scholarships, training, and Committees ... ... ... 0 4 2f 3 14 9| Excess of New Zealand ... ... £1 11 0£ Besides other obvious circumstances that have to be taken into account in making a comparison between England and New Zealand as regards the cost of education, there is the circumstance that if the means of education are to be carried within reach of the settlers generally, the cost of public schools per scholar must be greater in a sparsely-settled young colony than in the much more densely-peopled Mother-country. Comparison with Neighbouring Colonies. As the Education Beports of these colonies for 1883 have not yet reached New Zealand, I must make use of those for 1882. In Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia the public schools are administered directly by a Minister of the Crown. There are no District Boards as in New Zealand; and, instead of School Committees, there are local " Boards of Advice." In Queensland and Victoria there are no school fees for primary education. In New South Wales there are fees "not to exceed 3d. a week for each child up to four in a family; all over four are free." The fees are received by the teachers, and paid into the Treasury. A resolution was passed by the Lower House lately that no fees are to be paid in future. In South Australia there are school fees of 6d. and 4d. a week, with remission to those unable to pay. Fees go to teacher, except where he receives a fixed salary. In the following comparison I have included school fees in the expenditure of New South Wales and South Australia. Queensland. —The average cost per scholar for 1882 is explicitly stated on page 7 of the report, viz.:—Based on the average daily attendance: Teachers' salaries and allowances and incidental expenditure, £4 3s. 3Jd..; buildings, £1 4s. 5d.: total, £5 7s. BJd. New South Wales. —On pages 27 and 29 of the report for 1882-83 the cost per scholar is given as £6 15s. llfd., of which £4 ss. was for current expenditure, and £2 10s. llfd. for buildings. The following is given as the average : Cost to the State, £6 4s. 9Jd.; cost to the parent, 11s. 9d. It is stated on page 26 of the report that "in ten years the amount of the vote per school has increased threefold, and that the amounts per pupil for the first and last of the ten years are approximately

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in the ratio of two to five." The net amount of school fees for 1882 paid into the consolidated revenue was £51,312 ss. lid. The revenue of the department for 1882 was as follows :—■ Parliamentary vote (including fees, £51,312 ss. lid.) ... £630,954 14 5 Balance from 1881 ... ... ... ... 12,069 10 3 Proceeds of sales of land ... ... ... ... 5,788 4 6 Total, as shown on page 25 of the report ... £648,810 9 2 Victoria. —The Education Eeport for 1882 furnishes information on page 9 and in Appendix A, from which I make out the following expenditure per scholar :— Items 1, 4, 7, 8, and 9—Maintenance ... ... ... £4 3 4f Item s—Management ... ... ... ... 0 2 llf Item 6-—lnspection ... ... ... ... 0 2 5f Total current expenditure ... ... 4 8 10 Item 3—Buildings ... ... ... ... 0 14 4 Total ... ... ... ... £5 3 2 I have left out of the above the following expenditure, as there is nothing in New Zealand corresponding to it:— Officers'retiring allowances (pensions) ... ... ... £6,959 4 0 Compulsory clause (truant officers, &c.) ... ... 8,224 1 7 Total ... ... ... ... £15,183 5 7 Victoria in past years had expended very large sums in school buildings of a costly and permanent character, and this probably accounts for the comparatively small expenditure in 1882-83. The expenditure in Victoria for 1882-83 was— 1. Current expenditure ... ... ... ... £532,051 6 3 2. Buildings ... ... ... ... ... 82,225 1 9 Total ... ... - ... ... £614,276 8 0 South Australia.—The South Australian Eeport for 1882 does not give so full and clear a statement in regard to expenditure as other reports. School fees were levied to the amount of £21,181 16s. 2d. in 1882. To ascertain the expenditure per scholar I have inspected Appendix P and other tables. For current cost per scholar I Have divided the total current expenditure (£92,784 Bs. 4d.) by the average daily attendance (21,984), the result being £4 4s. 4fd. For cost per attendance for buildings I have divided the amount expended (£16,575 ss. 7d.) by the average attendance, the result being 15s. Id. A smaller sum (£3 ss. 9Jd.) is given as the average cost per scholar; but, as far as I can understand the statement, this must mean the cost exclusive of receipts from school fees. From the preceding notes, and from a memorandum written by the Inspector-General relating to school expenditure in America, I compile the following table:—

Cost per Scholar in Average Daily Attendance for 1882.

* Exclusive of expenditure on School Board administration, inspection, and scholarships, t Calculated from a table on page xxxvi. of the Eeport of Committee of Council. .-■•*£, -_ School Age. In almost all education systems there are two sets of school ages: (1) The ages between which children may attend a public school, on account of whose attendance parliamentary or other grants may be earned; and (2) the ages between which parents must send their children to school under

Countries. Current Expenditure. Buildings. Total Current and Buildings Expenditure. New Zealand £ s. a. 4 3 6£ £ s. a. 1 1 8| £ a. a. 5 5 3 Queenslana.. New South Wales Victoria South. Australia 4 3 3| 4 5 0 4 8 10 4 4 4| 14 5 2 10 11| 0 14 4 0 15 1 5 7 8| 6 15 11| 5 3 2 4 19 5| Briglana •2 3 9J tl 3 10 3 7 7i « New York .. Masachussetts California .. 3 18 0 4 6 2 5 5 3

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the compulsory-attendance law. The following are the ages in England and some Australasian Colonies:—

The following were the ages of children attending school at the end of 1882 in— Victoria—Three years and under four ... ... ... ... 3,550 Pour " „ five ... ... ... ... 9,862 Five „ six ... ... ... ... 15,199 Six „ fifteen 178,035 Above fifteen years ... ... ... ... ... 11,524 Total 216,890 New South Wales—Under four years ... ... ... ... 2,148 Four years and under six ... ... ... 20,576 Six „ fourteen ... ... 129,991 Over fourteen years ... ... ... 15,274 Total 167,989 The following is the summary for New Zealand for 1883 : — Ages of Scholars. (E.-l, 1884, p. iv.) Table No. 5 of the Appendix shows the ages of the scholars of both sexes who belonged to the schools of the different Board districts during the quarter ending 31st December, 1883. The following is a summary of the ages of the scholars in the whole of the schools :—

TABLE B.—Ages of Scholars at the End of the Year.

The last four columns of the table show that the proportion of scholars at the different ages remains much the same from year to year. As compared with 1882, there was an increase last year in the proportion of those between seven and ten years, and a corresponding decrease in the number between ten and thirteen years. I attach an extract from the American Cyclopaedia on the subject of school age. John Hislop.

EXTBAOT FKOM THE [AiIEEICAN] CYCLOPEDIA OF EDUCATION. School Age, or Scholastic Age. —The age fixed by law during which pupils may attend the public schools. This varies considerably in different countries, both as to its commencement and termination. Thus, in Prussia the school age is from sto 14 years; in France, from 7to 13; in Switzerland, from 6 to 13; and in England, from 3 to 18. In the latter country the rule is as follows : " Attendances may not be reckoned for any scholar above 18', or in any day school under 3, •or in an evening school under 12 years of age." The legislation on this subject in the different 2—E. 2.

Countries. Children may attend School and earn Grants between Children must be sent to School by Parents between ingland Icotland few Zealand Victoria Jueensland .. few South Wales 3 and 18 3 „ 18 5 „ 15 3 „ 16 5 „ 14 i „ 14 5 and 13 5 „ 13 1 » 13 6 „ 15 6 „ 12 6 „ 14

Ages. Boys. Girls. Total. Percentage fc )r Four Ye! tfs. "ive and under seven years .. leven and under ten years )en and under thirteen years 'hirteen and under fifteen years )ver fifteen years 10,791 17,814 13,750 4,629 720 9,735 16,202 13,060 4,685 1,090 20,526 34,016 26,810 9,314 1,810 1883. | 1882. 22-20 i 22-64 36-78 ■ 35-56 29-00 I 30-09 10-07 9-82 1-95 1-89 1881. 22-73 35-41 30-39 9-60 1-87 1880. 22-33 35-99 30-25 9-66 1-77 Totals for 1883 Totals for 1882 47,704 45,082 44,772 42,097 92,476 87,179 100-00 100-00 100-00 100-00 Increase 2,622 2,675 5,297 I

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States of the American Union also presents considerable diversity, as is shown by the following table:—

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E.—2.

The " United States Deposit Fund " arises from the surplus fund in the United States Treasury in 1836, which amounted to $15,000,000, and was distributed on loan to the older States. The New York portion of the loan constitutes a permanent school fund, with the name quoted above. The "School Fund " is an accumulation from national grants of land and State appropriations.

For the Year 1881.

I have merely extracted, and not calculated, these figures. Wm. Jas. Habens.

Authority: Gbobge Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB4.

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New York. Massachusetts. California. )ost of education per pupil on rolls, including interest on property lost per pupil in average attendance, including interest on property School days in year Ichool age lost of buildings, sites, furniture, and appliances $10-69 (£2 2 9) $19-52 (£3 18 0) 178 5-21 $1,677,673 $15-44 (£3 1 9) $21-54 (£4 6 2) 178 5-15 $803,441 $16-95 (£3 7 10) $26-32 (£5 5 3) 115 5-17 $299,976