5

E.—6

districts are shown in Table Ll of E.-6 ; the list may be summarised for the whole Dominion as follows :— Number of scholarships, — Boys 57 Girls 32 Total 89 Number receiving hoarding-allowance (included in the above total) .. .. 4o Number receiving travelling-allowance (similarly included) .. .. ..0 Number held at secondary schools .. .. .. .. ..75 Number hold at district high schools .. .. .. .. .. 14 Total annual rate of payment as in December, 1908 .. .. £2,130 (ii.) Education Board Scholarships. —The scholarship funds of the Boards are provided by grants which, although not statutory, are of old standing, and amount to Is. 6d. per head of the average attendance. The conditions of the scholarships are determined by regulations approved in the case of each Board by the Minister of Education. For the award of the Junior Scholarships all the Boards now use the Junior National Scholarship Examination, and for their Senior Scholarships nearly all use the Civil Service Junior Examination ; but the awards themselves and the subsequent control of the holders are entirely in the hands of the Boards. The number and value of the Board Scholarships in the various districts are shown in Table L 2, the totals of which are for the whole of New Zealand :— Number of scholarships,— Boys .. .. .. .. .. •• •• •• ?86 Girls 198 Total 484 Total expenditure of Boards on scholarships in 1908 .. £8,283 The most common period of tenure is two years, but in one district the scholarships are tenable for three years, and in three districts scholarships may be in deserving cases extended for a third year, if the funds of the Board admit. By the terms of the Act every Education Board scholarship is tenable at a secondary school or its equivalent, approved by the Board. With very few exceptions Education Board scholars hold secondary free places. The value of the scholarships varies considerably, apparently according to the view taken by each Board, as the circumstances of the different districts hardly seem to explain the great variation. Taking the whole of the districts we find that there are, — At £40 per annum .. .. .. . • .. 87 scholarships. At £35 „ .. .. .. •• .. 5 At £30 „ .. .. •• •• .. 49 At £25 14 Under £25 and not under £20 per annum .. .. .. 9 ~ At £15 per annum .. .. .. .. •• 1 ~ Under £15 and not under £10 per annum .. .. .. 154 „ Under £10 and not under £5 per annum .. .. 99 „ Under £5 per annum .. .. .. .. 66 ~ Total .. .. .. .. ..484 „ Finances of Secondary Schools. The income of secondary schools is derived from the following sources :— (i.) Rents from the special reserves allocated to them by statute ; (ii.) Statutory grants, given in lieu of special reserves; (iii.) Income from the secondary-school reserves controlled by the School Commissioners, divided among the secondary schools in the several hind districts in proportion to the number of pupils, exclusive of lower departments ; (iv.) Interest upon moneys derived from the sale of reserves, and invested in accordance with the Education Reserves Act;