5

E.—s

Technical Glasses other than Classes at Day Technical Schools. Classes were held at 132 centres. The status of the classes, their number, and the number of individual students in attendance were as follows :—

As in previous years, " special " classes — i.e., classes conducted by an Education Board or by the governing body of a secondary school—were the most numerous, and the most widely distributed. Most of the classes in the smaller centres come under this heading " Associated" classes— i.e., classes conducted by Managers representing bodies contributory to the funds of the classes—though held at comparatively small number of centres, include most of the largest and best-equipped technical schools in the Dominion. In a few cases only do the Managers of associated classes conduct classes in more than one centre. " College " classes are conducted by the governing bodies of the University colleges, four in number. The most important are those constituting the School of Engineering in connexion with Canterbury College, Christchurch. The number (15,206) of individual students in attendance is greater by 1,679 than the number for the previous year, due mainly to an increase in the number of free pupils admitted to classes. Some particulars as to the age, sex, and occupations of students are as follows :—

Summary of Occupations of Students. Number of Percentage Students. of Total. Clerical pursuits .. .. .. .. ..2,005 13-2 Professional pursuits .. .. .. .. .. 2,880 18-9 Students .. .. .. .. .. ..1,774 11-7 Domestic pursuits .. .. .. .. .. 3,054 20-1 Agricultural pursuits .. .. .. .. .. 854 5-0 Various trades .. .. .. .. .. ..4,388 28-9 Other occupations not included in above .. .. .. 251 1-6 15,206 100-0 From these figures it may be that the courses of instruction provided by the technical schools as a whole are designed to meet, as far as possible, the needs of all classes of the community.

Table Jb. —Number of Classes held during 1913 in certain Subjects of Technical Instruction.

Status. Number of Clashes. Number o; f Students. " Special" classes " Associated " classes " College " classes 1912. 1 9J:!. 867 903 529 540 156 183 1912. 7,357 5,568 602 1913. . 8,523 5,951 732 Totals 1,552 1,626 13,527 15,206

Seventeen Years of Age and under. Over Seventeen Years of Age. Totals. Males Females 3,190 2,494 4,553 4,969 7,743 7,463 Totals .. 5,684 9,522 15,206

Subjeots of Instruction. Number of Centres. Number of Otasses. lommercial subjects lathematics and science lathematics and science applied to trades and industries )omestic science irt and art-crafts lontinuation classes 4? 28 98 81 51 46 268 118 408 299 314 219 Total 1,626