E.—l.

At the present time there is no provision for conveyance other than by rail of children attending the post-primary schools, and this question is to be investigated in the direction of exploring the possibilities of helping with road conveyance ; also with regard to the payment of boarding-allowance to children who are compelled to live away from home in order to attend a post-primary school. It is proposed to make provision for the issue of free school-books to postprimary pupils whose parents are in necessitous circumstances, a concession which now obtains only in the case of primary-school pupils. 2. TYPES OF SCHOOLS. The present position in regard to our school system is outlined below. The Native schools and the Correspondence School are under the direct control of the Department; the other schools given in Table A are controlled by the various Boards in accordance with the Act and the regulations made thereunder. The primary schools in the Chatham Islands have since 1929 been controlled by the Department. In addition to the types given in that table there exist a number of private primary schools, private secondary schools, and private Native schools (both primary and secondary). These are under the control of various private bodies, but the range of classes is substantially the same as that given for corresponding schools in the table. Some private secondary schools are " endowed " — i.e., maintained partly by revenues derived from grants of land made by the State. Apart from certain special schools for the mentally backward (three) and for the deaf (one) —the following are the types of State schools that are at present in operation. The New Zealand Institute for the Blind is privately controlled.

Table A.

(a) A few primary schools have a Standard VII, in which the work done approximates to that of Form 111. In some of the schools the work done in Form 111 is supervised by the teacher, but the pupils are supplied with lessons compiled by the staff of the Department's Correspondence School. Some primary schools have become contributing schools — i.e., have lost Forms I and 11, these classes having been transferred to intermediate schools or departments. (b) Intermediate departments include Forms I and II only, Form 111 being considered part of the post-primary school to which the intermediate department is attached. Intermediate schools have, however, a Form 111 in cases specially approved by the Department. (c) In secondary departments of some district high schools there are a few pupils doing work in advance of that of Form V. (d) Secondary and technical schools amalgamated under a single governing body. 3. COST OF EDUCATION. The appendix to this report shows in detail under various headings the expenditure on education during the financial year ended 31st March, 1936. The total expenditure, including endowment revenue, amounted to £3,316,992, as against £2,929,606 in the previous year, an increase of £396,386.

4

Type of School. Lowest Class. Highest Class. 1. Primary (a) . . .. . . Preparatory division Form II (Standard VI). 2. Native . . .. . . Preparatory division Form II (Standard VI). 3. Intermediate (6) .. .. Form I (Standard V) Form II (Standard VI). 4. District High School — (i) Primary Department .. Preparatory division Form II (Standard VI). (ii) Secondary Department Form III.. .. Form V. (c) 5. Secondary .. .. .. Form III.. .. Form VI. 6. Technical High .. .. Form III.. .. Form VI. 7. Combined (d) .. .. Form III.. .. Form VI. 8. Correspondence School — (i) Primary .. .. Preparatory division Form II (Standard VI). (ii) Secondary .. .. Form III. . . . Form VI.