E.—l.

Conveyance oe Pupils. During 1930 the question of conveying pupils to primary schools received the close attention of the Department. The policy of supplying motor-buses specially designed for the purpose has been proceeded with where the conditions show that such a course provides the most economical mode of transport. At the end of last year there were twelve motor-buses owned by the' Department conveying children to primary schools. The conveyance of school-children has presented further problems by the curtailment of train services on non-paying branch lines. The following are some figures in respect to the conveyance of children to and from schools by rail during 1930. The conveyance of pupils to schools and to manual classes by rail under the Free School Ticket Regulations issued by the Railway Department cost £24,435 for the year ending 31st March, 1931, divided as follows : Primary, £4,230 ; secondary, £7,985 ; technical, £6,064; junior high, £97 ; Native, £24; manual, £6,035. Included in this cost was £2,168 for private primary pupils, £917 for private secondary pupils, and £77 for pupils from private schools attending manual classes. Exclusive of pupils attending manual classes, the above expenditure represents the cost of conveying over 7,820 pupils to school daily. Correspondence School. At the end of the year the roll of the primary department was 860, and the secondary department 166, a total roll of 1,026. The staff consisted of the headmaster, twenty-two assistants, and seven clerical assistants. Of the forty-one pupils who sat for examination in Standard VI, forty gained proficiency certificates. The reports of the Inspectors indicated that excellent work was being done. The Postman, the magazine issued by the Correspondence School, and compiled from literary efforts of the pupils, is in itself evidence of the standard attained by pupils in the different classes. Physical Education. The work of the instructors continues to make very good progress. To supplement this work young teachers are leaving the Training Colleges with a greater knowledge of the subject and a fuller appreciation of modern methods of instruction. Again this year a specialist class of third-year students was receiving instruction at Dunedin Training College. Manual Instruction. There were 159 instructors in manual instruction in 1930, an increase of five over the previous year. Nine of these instructors were attached to junior high schools.

Full-time Classified Teachers in Manual-training Classes as at 1st July, 1930.

The average rates of salary on the Ist July, 1930, were as follows : Men, £361 ; women, £229 : average of both, £304.

3—E. 1.

17

Class .. .. •• VIT. VI. V. IV. III. j II. JJ* e } _ | Totals. M V. M. F. M. P. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. M. F. Division 1 • • • • 1 0 9 1 4 1 3 5 1 4 0 24 18 35 Division II .. .. 0 1 6 4 21 7 13 10 9 4 12 5 12 2 73 33 Totals .. 0 1 7 4 30 8 17 11 I 12 9 13 9 12 26 91 68 v — Y — i i. — Y — > v — Y —' l — Y —' I *• — sr— J y —y — ' y —v — ' v —v — ' Totals .'. 1 11 38 28 21 22 38 159