E.—l

23

It is of interest to note that when the provision came into force making the payment of salary depend in part upon efficiency as indicated by grading position there was a marked increase in the numbers of candidates for the teachers' certificate examinations, showing that the provision has acted as an incentive to greater effort on the part of teachers to become certificated or to obtain promotion in the class of their certificates. Organizing Teachers. The employment by Education Boards of organizing teachers, begun in 1919, was continued in 1922, sixteen such teachers working in the various education districts. Their duty is to supervise closely the work of small groups of country schools placed under their charge, assisting the teachers in matters of organization, schemes of work, and method of teaching, and directing uncertificated teachers in their courses of study. Inspectors of Schools continue to report most favourably on the successful work of the organizing teachers, commenting on the marked improvement in the efficiency of small schools brought under their supervision. The salaries of organizing teachers ranged from £385 to £425 per annum, in addition to which a house allowance of £60 per annum is payable. Education Reserves. The Education Reserves Amendment Act of 1914 provides for the revenue received from primary-education reserves to be paid by the Receiver of Land Revenue into the Public Account to the credit of a special deposit account called " The Primaxy Education Endowments Deposit Account." The moneys so received are applied without further appropriation than the Act mentioned towards the payment of amounts charged on the Consolidated Fund for the purposes of primary education. The revenue from this source during the year 1922-23 was £103,293. Kindergarten Schools. The Education Act does not provide for the establishment of State kindergarten classes, except in the case of practising schools attached to the four teachers' training colleges, in each of which a kindergarten class of not more than forty pupils may be included. Kindergarten schools under the control of free kindergarten associations are, however, conducted at six centres, the average attendance for 1922 being 855. The Government pays a subsidy of £l ss. to the pound upon moneys raised by voluntary contribution for the maintenance of these schools up to a limit of £3 2s. 6d. per head of the average attendance, the total amount paid on this account in the year 1922-23 being £2,571. In addition, a pound-for-pound subsidy is paid on moneys raised for buildings, sites, or initial equipment for the schools. Education of Native Children. (See also E.-3.) Number of Schools. The primary education of Maori children living in districts principally settled by Natives is provided by means of Native village schools specially instituted by the Government and under the direct control of the Education Department. All of these schools (numbering 127 at the end of 1922) excepting two are situated in the North Island. The schools were graded as follows : — Grade I (average attendance 9-20) .. .. .. .. .. 19 ~ II i (average attendance 21-25) .. .. .. 14 ~ II ii (average attendance 26-35) .. .. .. 27 ~ IIIa i (average attendance 36-50) . . .. .. 30 ~ IIIa ii (average attendance 51-80) .. .. .. 28 ~ IIIb (average attendance 81-120) .. .. .. .. 8 IVa (average attendance 121-160) .. .. .. .. I Total .. .. .. .. .. .. ..127 In addition to the Government schools there are in operation for the benefit of Maori children nine primary mission schools (three more than in 1921) and ten boarding-schools, the latter affording a rather more advanced educational programme. These schools have been established by private enterprise, but they are inspected by the Department's officers, and the Government provides a number of free