11

E,—2.

Table D 4 shows the number of pupils in each education district receiving instruction in the various subjects set forth in the syllabus. As reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, geography, elementary science and drawing, objectlessons and vocal music are compulsory subjects, and history must be taken unless the parent objects, no separate return has been prepared of these subjects. It may be of interest to compare the numbers doing nature-study, handwork, and elementary agriculture during the past five years. The total number doing handwork in 1910 and 1911 is not available, as the number has been split up under the headings of the various subjects included under the general title of handwork—viz., cookery, woodwork, needlework, elementary agriculture, and other branches of handwork. , Number of Pupils. . 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. Roll .. .. .. .. 141,071 147,428 152,416 156,324 161,648 Nature-study .. .. .. 122,660 128,716 134,651 136,341 129,796 Handwork .. .. .. .. 105,514 112,952 116,588 Elementary agriculture and dairy-work\ / 6,000 8,000 10,200 15,159 18,546 Cookery |-|| .. .. .. 5,155 6,110 Woodwork V&%4 .. .. .. 5,532 6,742 Needlework .. .. .. i| 1 53,789 55,065 55,911 54,606 57,968 Other branches of handwork .. J 3 ? I .. .. .. 100,772 109,763 It will be seen from the above table that the number taking the various subjects of manual instruction has increased in every case, and in most cases more than proportionately to the increase in the roll number. Conveyance of Children. Conveyance by Rail. —Since the year 1895 children out of the reach of a primary school, but living near to a convenient line of railway, have been granted free passes to the nearest public school or private school; in 1902 this privilege was extended to holders of scholarships and free places in secondary schools, district high schools, and technical schools ; and at the beginning of 1909 the same concession was granted to other secondary pupils who were compelled to travel by rail in order to attend school. The amount paid on this account for railway fares in the years 1910 and 1911 was as follows : — 1910. 1911. £ £ Primary pupils .. .. .. .. .. 4,961 4,753 Pupils attending — (a.) Secondary schools .. .. .. .. 2,323 2,308 (b.) District high schools.. .. .. .. 1,354 1,426 (c.) Technical schools .. .. .. .. 3,798 4,359 £12,436 £12,846 Conveyance by Road and Water. —By section 44 (c) of the Education Act, Boards are empowered to arrange, where necessary, for the conveyance of children to and from school, and conveyance by road or water is accordingly arranged in districts where the population is widely scattered, and the necessary facilities for conveyance are obtainable. Eor children under ten living more than three miles away from school by the nearest road, and for children of ten and upwards living more than four miles away, the Department makes the Boards an allowance of 6d. for each return trip —that is, the conveyance of one child to and from school on one day. No claim is entertained in the case of children riding to school on horses or bicycles. The Taranaki, Grey, and Westland Boards did not arrange for conveyance. In the more closely settled districts of the South Island — North Canterbury, South Canterbury, Otago, and Southland-—this plan for conveyance was very much more widely adopted than in any other district in New Zealand. The total amount paid in 1911 to ten Education Boards for conveyance byroad and water amounted, to £4,297, as against £3,322 in the previous year. The total amount paid for conveyance of pupils to public schools in 1911 by rail, road, and water was therefore £17,143, as against £15,758 in 1910.