3

E.—6

These examinations fall into three main groups : — (i.) An examination in November or December to determine the grant of Junior Scholarships and junior free places ; (ii.) A main November series for Public Service Entrance, Senior Board Scholarship, and other Intermediate purposes ; and (iii.) A January series (a) for teachers' certificates of Classes D and C, and incidentally to some extent of Class B, (b) for Public Service Senior qualifications, and (c) an examination to test the fitness of typists in the Public Service for promotion from the second to the first grade. The examinations were held between the 18th and 25th November, 1914 (Public Service Entrance and Intermediate Examinations), on the 26th and 27th November, 1914 (Junior National Scholarships and junior free places), and between the sth and 20th January, 1915 (Teachers' Certificate, Typists' Examination, and Public Service Senior), at the thirteen towns which are the seats of Education Boards, and at Alexandra, Aratapu, Ashburton, Balclutha, Carterton, Chatham Islands, Dannevirke, Eketahuna, Feilding, Gisborne, Gore, Hamilton, Hastings, Hawera, Kohukohu, Lawrence, Levin, Marton, Masterton, Oamaru, Opotiki, Pahiatua, Palmerston North, Petone, Pukekohe, Rangiora, Reefton, St. Dominic's Priory (Dunedin), Stratford, Taihape, Takaka, Taumarunui, Tauranga, Thames, Waihi, Waimate South, Waipawa, Wairoa, Wanganui Convent, Warkworth, Westport, Whakatane, and Whangarei, There were two centres at both Auckland and Christchurch. The following are the numbers of candidates who entered for the various examinations mentioned above as compared with the numbers of the preceding years : — Number who entered, 1914-15 ... ... ... ... ... 10,126 1913-14 ... ... 9,613 Increase of candidates entered in 1914-15 ... ... 513 Number actually present at examination, 1914-15 ... ... ... 8,727 1913-14 ... ... ... 8,305 Increase of candidates present in 1914-15 ... ... ... 422 Number who did not present themselves, 1914-15 ... ... .. 1,399 1913-14 ... ... ... 1,308 This difference of 1,399 between those who entered for examination and those who actually sat is accounted for partly on the usual grounds, and partly by the operation of a clause in the Regulations for Senior Free Places, introduced in 1908, under which a number of candidates recommended on an accrediting principle therein embodied were exempt from examination, and -accordingly did not present themselves. A provision on a somewhat similar principle embodied in 1911 in the Regulations for Training Colleges also accounts for a certain proportion of the number. In the several examinations the following were the numbers present : — Junior National Scholarship and Junior Free Place Examinations ... 3,562 Public Service Entrance and allied examinations ... ... ... 2,739 Public Service Senior Examination ... ... ... ... 804 •jr Teachers'Certificate Examinations ... ... ... ... 1,576 Typists' Examination ... ... ... ... ... ... 46 The following table gives a comparative statement of the number of candidates examined under the principal groupings during the past six years : — 1909-10. 1910-11. 1911-12. 1912-13. 1913-14. 1914-15. Junior National and Education Board Scholarships and junior free places 2,214 2,383 2,564 3,934 3,154 3,562 Intermediate (Education Board Senior Scholarships, senior free places, First Pupil - teachers) and Public Service Entrance ... ... 2,369 2,375 2,563 2,770 2,756 2,739 Teachers'D and C 1,482 1,534 1,626 1,753 1,524 1,576 Public Service Senior ... ... 443 390 518 574 871 804 Typists' Examination ... ... ... ... ... 46 Totals ... ... 6,508 6,682 7,271 8,031 8,305 8,727 The large increase shown in the last two years in the number of candidates for the Public Service Senior Examination (the total rose from 574 in 1913 to 871 in 1914, and fell slightly to 804 in 1915) is to be explained by the benefits held out to officers for qualifying in the examination. It is also partly due, however, to a fact already referred to—namely, the abolition of the £1 fee formerly charged to every applicant. The result, as is to be expected, is that the standard of attainment reached by candidates has fallen. It is in the Junior National Scholarship and Junior Free Place Examinations that the largest increase in the numbers of candidates took place, the number examined being over four hundred in excess of the number for the previous year. The only other examination series showing increases of candidates is that for Classes D and C, in which some recovery is shown from the temporary check experienced through candidates being required to produce evidence of having received satisfactory practical instruction in science subjects.