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No. 39. (General.) My Loed, — Downing Street, sth October, 1897. I have the honour to transmit to your Lordship, under flying seal, a letter from the Education Department to the Minister of Education, -asking to be supplied with a brief authoritative account of the system of education existing in the colony, with a view to publication in a volume of special reports on educational subjects for the information of local educational authorities, teachers, and other students of education in this country. I shall be glad if you will be good enough to furnish me with a report such as is desired by the Education Department. I have, &c, EDWAED WINGFIELD, For the Secretary of State. Governor the Eight Hon. the Earl of Eanfurly, K.C.M.G., &c.

Enclosure. Sir, — Education Department, Whitehall, London, S.W., 30th September, 1897. The Lords of the Committee of Council on Education are anxious to publish, for the information of local authorities, teachers, and other students of education in this country, a special official volume, containing brief authoritative accounts of the systems of education existing in the chief colonies of the British Empire. It is believed that such a volume would be read with great interest, and that, as facilitating a comparative survey of colonial systems of education, it would prove of considerable value as a work of reference. I am therefore directed by my Lords to ask if you will kindly co-operate with them in carrying out this plan, to which the Secretary of State for the Colonies has been so good as to give the indorsement of his approval. Should you be willing to entertain my Lords' proposal, I am directed by them to ask if you will kmdly favour them with an account of the educational system of New Zealand, for publication in the manner described above. While their Lordships desire that the length and precise form of the various reports should, in each case, be determined by those who are so good as to contribute them, they think it desirable that each report should give a short history of the growth of the present system, and that it should, if possible, refer, inter alia, to the following subjects : — (1.) The central and local administration of education; the number of children and students at school or colleges ; the laws of school attendance, and the methods by which they are enforced. (2.) Finance : The cost of education to the State, and the amount of such cost borne by the central authority, by the local authorities, by the parents of scholars, or by voluntary subscribers, as the case may be; the amount, if any, of school-fees. (3.) How far private schools in the different grades exist outside the State system. (4.) The arrangements for inspection of schools, and the appointment of the Inspectorial staff. (5.) The teaching of singing, drawing, cookery, and domestic economy; the provision of manual training ; and the arrangements for drill and physical exercises. (6.) The regulations for religious instruction. (7.) The method of appointing teachers in the elementary schools ; the scale of their payment; the arrangements for their professional training; how far there prevails a system of pupil-teachers or of apprentice teachers; and the proportions, respectively, of men and women teachers; arrangements for pensions for teachers in elementary schools. (8.) How far, if at all, free meals are provided for needy scholars in elementary schools, and, if so, at whose expense. (9.) The arrangements for continuation schools or classes where such exist. (10.) The provision of higher (including university) and secondary education, and how far such are subsidised by the State, and how far under its inspection or control. (11.) The arrangement for technical, commercial, and agricultural instruction. (12.) Eeformatory and industrial schools. (13.) Schools for the blind, for the deaf-and-dumb, and for defective children. It is also desirable that the report should embody (preferably in the form of an appendix) such part of the elementary school code as deals—(l) with the course of studies, and (2) with regulations for the building and equipment of schools; and it is thought that a map or other illustrations might be found a valuable addition to the report. It is hoped that the volume might be published not later than the early autumn of 1898; and I am to add that the name of the contributor should be published in each case, unless my Lords are requested to withhold the same. In conclusion, my Lords are very sensible of the laborious character of the task which they are inviting the contributors to the proposed volume to undertake, but they venture to hope that you may be kindly willing to aid them in thus presenting to students of education in this country