E.—l

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attendance clauses of the Act. Private schools are inspected annually by the Department's Inspectors, and the S6 pupils examined for the award of proficiency and competency certificates; in this way it is ensured that children not attending the State schools are receiving an adequate education elsewhere. The following statistics relate to registered primary schools in 1922 : —

Average attendance .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21,246 Ages of pupils — Children under seven years of age .. .. .. .. .. 4,299 Children from seven to eleven years of age .. .. .. .. .. 10,364 Children from eleven to thirteen years of age .. .. .. .. .. 5,396 Children from thirteen to fourteen years of age .. .. .. 2,351 Children from fourteen to fifteen years of age .. .. .. .. .. 1,641 Children over fifteen years of age .. .. .. .. .. .. sin iSti examinations — Number of pupils in S6 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,039 Number obtaining proficiency certificates .. .. .. .. .. 1,395 Number obtaining competency certificates .. .. .. .. .. 272 Number obtaining endorsed competency certificates .. .. .. .. 22 Number of teachers — Males. p Females. Catholic Church schools . . . . . . .. .. .. 30 533 Oilier Church schools .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 97 Undenominational schools .. .. .. .. . . . . 25 96 Totals .. .. .. .. .. ..74 726 Tables Dl and D 2 in E.-2 give particulars of the schools in the various districts. A list of registered private schools is published annually in the New Zealand Gazette. Conveyance and Board op Scholars. Free passes on the railway to the nearest public or private school are granted to children living near to the railway-line but out of reach of a primary school, and the same privilege is enjoyed by pupils having to travel to attend secondary schools, district high schools, and technical high schools, and also by free-place holders travelling to attend technical schools or classes other than technical high schools. Education Boards are also authorized to make provision when necessary for the conveyance of pupils to primary schools by road or water, and to contribute towards the payment for board of children compelled to live away from home in order to attend school. The Department contributes at the rate of from 4d. to Bd. per return trip, according to the mode of conveyance used, for each, child over five years of age that is conveyed to school, and ss. a week towards the cost of the board of each child compelled to live away from home to attend a public school. If the expenditure by Education Boards exceeds this all.owa.nce the Department also pays half the excess cost. The following represents the expenditure by the Department for the year 1922-23 on the above-named services:—

Boarding-allowance Railway Faros. and Conveyance by ; Total. Road and Water. £ £ £ Primary 11,942 22,839 34,781 Seoondary 6,789 .. 6,789 Technical 4,712 .. 4,742 Total .. ... .. 23,473 22,8.19 46,312 The total expenditure for the previous year was £46,058.

Catholic Church Schools. Other Church Undenominational Schools. Schools. Total. Slumber of schools J 78 42 43 263 iuill number .. 20,253 2,556 2,052 Boys. 11,234 Girls. 13,627 Total. 21.861