E..—l.

Training qf Teachers. The four training colleges for teachers have now for some time been in active operation, and in only one of the four, where the accommodation has so far been limited, does the number of students fall materially below the full complement for which the colleges were intended to provide. At the close of the year the students in attendance numbered 253, of whom 61 were men and 192 were women, a proportion of 24-1 and 75-9 respectively. The corresponding total for the close of 1906 was 216, of whom 48 were male students. Among those attending during the year have also to be reckoned a few students who left before the close of the period either to go into active service under the Boards or for some other reason. The total provision in contemplation is for 80 students in each of the centres. Towards this number out of the total reported, Wellington contributes 78; Dunedin, 73; Christchurch, 66; and Auckland, 36. The course of training extends over two years, but in the case of those who have already undergone a preliminary training as pupil-teachers, it has not always been deemed necessary to require the full period of attendance. In a very few instances, as has been determined in its discretion by the Board controlling the training college, an attendance of one year has been accepted; but the great bulk of the students remain for two years, and it is so intended. The students attending for the second year in 1907 numbered at Wellington, 46; at Dunedin, 41; at Christchurch, 34; at Auckland, 28 : total, 149. New training college buildings are now in course of erection at Auckland and Dunedin. An expenditure of £8,000 and £8,800 respectively has been authorised for the purpose, and requests for further sums to be expended in certain alterations or additions are under consideration. When these works are completed, with the necessary furnishings, the material equipment in the four centres should suffice for all present needs. The amount paid during 1907 for the training of teachers was £34,875, made up as follows : Salaries of staffs of four training colleges, £12,414; students' allowances and University fees, £13,148; grants for special instruction in handwork, £1,895; railway fares of teachers in training and for Instructors, £5,564; alterations to buildings, Wellington (balance), £632; on account of buildings, Auckland, £987; for library books, Auckland, £100; and apparatus, &c, Christchurch, £135. It must be remembered, however, that £12,414 of this total provides not only for the efficient training of over two hundred and fifty teachers, but the instruction of over fifteen hundred children in attendance at the practising schools. The reports of the several training colleges are printed in a separate paper (E.-lc). Teachers' Superannuation. The number of contributors to the fund on the 31st March, 1908, was 2,882, being an increase of 70 above the number on the register on the 31st March, 1907. Of this number, 2,505 were original members and 377 ordinary members —that is, persons who were first permanently employed after the date of the coming into operation of the Act. Details are given in the following table : —

Statement of Membership as from the 1st January, 1906.

It is found on comparison of the number of original contributors at the 31st March, 1907, with the number as at 31st March, 1908, that, as a net result of the admissions to and withdrawals from the fund during the year, there is a decrease of 27 contributors whose contributions were at the rate of 5 per cent., 21 at 6 per cent., 16 at 8 per cent., 11 at 9 per cent., and 17 at 10 per cent.; while there was an increase of 4 at 7 per cent. : the net totals showing a decrease of 88 in the

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Original Members. Ordinary Members. Total Number at End of Year. Admitted. Left. Number at End of Year. Admitted. Left. Number at End of Year. Number. mber. Year ending. 2,720 50 127 138 2,593 2,505 I 219 197 39 219 377 2,812 2,882 31st Maroh, 1907. 1908.