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Increased grants have been made payable for university education and on account of the Workers' Educational Association. Regulations were made, and are being much availed of, which enable New Zealand teachers to obtain experience in Canada and Great Britain, teachers from these countries in exchange coming to work and observe in New Zealand schools. The question of backward children in primary schools has received attention, a small number of special classes for such children now being in operation, greatly to the benefit of the pupils attending them. The desirability of adopting some effective scheme of visual education in the schools has been under consideration for some time. Only the expensive nature of the equipment has prevented definite steps being taken to install cinematograph machines where electric current is available. In the meantime tentative approval has been given to a private company to show carefully selected educational pictures to school-children during school hours. This scheme is at present in operation only in the larger towns. Development has taken place in the work of the branch of the Department dealing with the State care of dependent and delinquent children under the probation system, and the policy extended of boarding children out in private homes in preference to increasing departmental institutions for the purpose. Classes for children afflicted with defective hearing or speech, and evening classes for deaf adults, have been established at the large centres, with satisfactory results. THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATION. The Third General Council of Education, comprised of representatives of the Education Department, Education Boards, primary-school teachers, secondary- and technical-school teachers, the University of New Zealand, and certain members appointed by the Minister of Education met for its second session in June, 1922. Resolutions passed by the Council dealt with the following among other matters : The revision of the syllabus in certain subjects of the Matriculation and Intermediate Examinations ; a more definite provision for the teaching of New Zealand history in public schools; the better equipment of entrants to the teaching profession ; removal in certain cases of the compulsion of home science as a subject for girl junior-free-place holders ; more liberal financial assistance to the Workers' Educational Association; greater latitude in appointing relieving teachers in secondary schools ; temperance teaching in schools ; teachers' superannuation ; appointment of women on the inspectorate ; Principals of secondary schools having greater freedom in arranging examinations ; examiners for the University and Education Department being experienced as teachers in secondary schools and training colleges ; papers set at examinations having a wide choice of subjects ; curriculum of junior high schools being articulated to a certain extent with, that of senior high schools ; repeal of conscience clause relating to the teaching of history in schools. The proposed establishment and disestablishment of a number of district high schools and high schools were dealt with by the Council, and recommendations made to the Minister. A report of the proceedings of the Council is printed fully in a separate publication. COST OF EDUCATION. (See also Tables A-F on pages 52-53, and the Appendix.) The total payments made by the Education Department in the year 1922-23 amounted to £3,187,292, or £310,081 less than in the previous year. Of the amount of the reduction £217,000 is accounted for by smaller expenditure on new buildings and £93,000 by reductions made in salaries and in the general cost of maintenance. To the expenditure by the Department may be added the expendi-

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