E.—l

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HIGHER (UNIVERSITY) EDUCATION. The number of students on the books of the four University colleges affiliated to the University of New Zealand in 1929 was 4,623, as against 4,802 in 1928, a decrease of 179. The figures for each of the four colleges were as under : — 1928. 1929. Auckland .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,427 1,321 Victoria .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,004 1,007 Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. .. 1.092 1,072 Otago .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,279 1,223 4,802 4,623 The total number of students described as taking definite courses at the affiliated colleges was 4,115, distributed as follows : Arts, 1,799 ; science, 401 ; medicine, 238 ; dentistry, 108 ; law, 465 ; commerce, 539 ; music, 54 ; engineering, 221 ; agriculture, 24 ; home science, 115 ; architecture, 59 ; journalism, 37 ; mining, 16 ; forestry, 6 ; massage, 24 ; and education, 9. The number of exempted students was 547 in 1928 and 495 in 1929, the numbers in actual attendance at lectures being 4,255 and 4,128 respectively. The following shows the growth in the numbers of students over a period of years : 1878, 168 ; 1895, 742 ; 1900, 805 ; 1905, 1,158 ; 1915, 2,039 ; 1920, 3,822; 1924, 4,236 ; 1925, 4,442 ; 1929, 4,623. Of the 4,623 students on the books in 1929, 3,294 students, or 71 per cent, of the total number of students were men. Of the students attending lectures last year the following were receiving free University education : 42 per cent, in the case of men, and 71 per cent, in the case of women, or 50 per cent, of all students. Nearly all these had their tuition fees paid by the State. Besides University Scholarships, the gaining of which entitles the holder to free University education and certain additional assistance, the Government awards University Bursaries to all students who secure a credit pass in the University Entrance Scholarship Examination or gain a higher leaving certificate. Most of the bursars secure the latter qualification. A bursary enables a student to secure free University education to the value of £20 per annum in fees, the bursary being tenable for three years, with a possible extension to a fourth year. The following table shows the number of bursaries held in each year since the institution of this system : — Year. Number. Year. Number. 1912 .. .. ..38 1922 .. .. .. 545 1914 .. .. ..110 1923 .. .. .. 649 1915 .. .. ..230 1924 .. .. .. 751 1916 .. .. ..248 1925 .. .. .. 804 1917 .. .. .. 246 1926 .. .. .. 899 1918 .. .. ..293 1927 .. .. .. 1,013 1919 .. .. ..444 1928 .. .. .. 1,061 1920 .. .. ..539 1929 .. ■ .. .. 1,113 1921 .. .. ..615 It is interesting to note that in New Zealand in 1927 the number of students for every 1,000 persons in the population was 3-03 ; while in New South Wales there were 1-02 students per 1,000 ; in Victoria, 1-47 per 1,000 ; in Queensland, 0-60 ; in South Australia, 3-04 ; in Western Australia, 1-11 ; and in Tasmania, 1-02. Returns showing the occupations of students have been furnished with respect to last year by the four constituent University Colleges. Expressed as percentages the figures are as under : — Men. Women. Full-time students .. .. .. .. .. 32 43 Teachers and training-college students .. .. 20 45 Government and local-body employees .. .. 15 1 Employees of private firms .. .. .. . . 29 6 Not known.. .. .. ~ .. ~ . . 4 5 100 100 The number of full-time students as a percentage of the total number of students attending lectures was 59 in the case of Otago, 22 in the case of Auckland, 21 in the case of Victoria, and 39 in the case of Canterbury.