E.—l2

8

If it were desired to go further, another 500 pupils per annum, who fell somewhat short of the suggested test, might be admitted at half fees. To complete the scheme it would be necessary to give continuation scholarships or exhibitions -—say, 200 each year, or 400 in all—in order that the best boys and girls might remain at a secondary school for four years, or even longer. I should like to point out here that by falling a little short of the test a child loses not the whole value of an exhibition, but only one-half ; also, that the tests are qualifying tests, not competitive tests, and that no child need be excluded by another who happens to get a mark or two more in a given examination. It remains to be considered how the money should be provided to pay the additional staff required in the secondary schools, and whether the increase of free places would seriously affect the number of pupils who pay fees. Both questions, I consider, can be answered in a satisfactory manner, but their discussion would involve a long examination of details otherwise uninteresting. It may be enough to remark that at present in our smaller secondary schools there is a great waste of teaching-power, and when this is taken into account the extra staff would be found to involve a very moderate increase in the expenditure of the secondary schools. There is a certain element of doubt about the effect of the suggestions upon the income derived by the secondary schools from fees. I do not believe from past experience that the loss would be very great; in fact, lam inclined to think there would be no appreciable decrease in the income from fees. To sum up, the scheme suggested would give,— (1.) Free secondary education to 1,000 boys and girls (500 per annum). (2.) Secondary education on payment of half fees to 1,000 boys and girls (500 per annum). (3.) Continuation exhibitions to boys or girls selected by further test from those who have been in (1) or (2) ; 400 boys and girls (200 per annum). (4.) Boarding scholarships for 300 (150 per annum) in (1) and (3). (5.) A degree of free secondary education to 700 boys and girls in district high schools. (5) has already been adopted. It is not, I consider, a disadvantage that the scheme could be introduced a step at a time. I am indebted for the idea to the Paris Scheme of Municipal Bursaries, which has been, I believe, for many years in successful operation; the details, however, are my own. All the above figures are necessarily rough, but some of the most important are founded on returns recently sent in to the Department by the Boards of Education, who are to be thanked for the inquiries made by them and generally for the care exercised in drawing up the returns. As increased facilities are being given for technical instruction the demand for secondary education other than technical will necessarily be kept from growing too rapidly beyond the bounds of such a reasonable expenditure as I have indicated above. Education Department, Wellington, G. Hogbbn. 30th October, 1901.