E.—l.

18. FREE PLACES IN POST - PRIMARY SCHOOLS. The following table gives the number of free-place holders in post-primary schools in 1936 and 1937 : —

Table R.—Free-place Holders as at 1st July.

On the Ist July, 1937, 32,975 children were in attendance at public schools providing secondary education, and of these 32,662 held free places and 313 were paying pupils. Ninety-nine per cent, of the children were thus receiving free secondary education. In 1936 353 out of the 32,228 children in attendance were paying pupils. The percentage of children receiving free education in 1937 was the same as that of the previous year. 19. SPECIAL CLASSES FOR BACKWARD CHILDREN. The total roll number of special classes continues to show a small increase, there being 561 pupils on the roll at Ist July, 1937, compared with 551 at the same date for the previous year, and with 510 in 1935. These classes provide tuition of an individual character which would not otherwise be available in an ordinary class of a public school. 20. INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS AND DEPARTMENTS. There was no change in the number of intermediate schools and departments, there being five intermediate schools and eleven intermediate departments functioning throughout the year. Sites have been obtained, however, for the erection of buildings, and it is hoped that in the near future a number of new intermediate schools will be established. There were 4,566 pupils 011 the roll of these schools and departments on Ist July, 1937, as against 4,420 on the same date in 1936. An investigation into the intermediate school system was being carried out by the Director, New Zealand Council for Educational Research, during the year, and this will be available in 1938. 21. POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION. No additional schools providing post-primary education were established during the year, but district high school departments were approved at Collingwood in the Nelson Education District and at Nightcaps and Queenstown in the Southland Education District. The secondary department at Manaia School was closed and arrangements made for the pupils to be conveyed to Hawera Technical High School. The roll numbers of full-time pupils attending the various types of schools or departments on Ist July, 1937, and on the same date in the previous year were as follows : — 1Q37 Secondary .. .. .. .. .. .. 15,650 15,327 Combined .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,233 2,330 Technical .. .. .. ... .. .. 9,163 9,408 Secondary department of district high schools .. .. 4,74-9 4,949 Endowed schools and registered private secondary schools 4,982 5,202 Correspondence school .. .. .. .. 786 961 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 37,563 38,177

35

Technical Secondary „ ... p . i Combined High and Departments Secondary Schools. Day of District Wjj™ S$SS7 , Schools, j Schools. High Schools. School. Schools. Boys, j Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys. Girls. Boys, j Girls. Boys. 1 Girls. Boys. Girls. I Junior free places .. .. .. 5,1214,957 946 664 14,280 3,4751,725 1,976 330 446 12,40211,518 Senior free places .. .. ..2,747 2,370 398 3011 858 732 565 652 40 79 4,608 4,134 Totals .. .. .. .. 7,8687,3271,344 965 5,138 4,207 2,290 2,628 370 525 17,01015,652 Grand totals, 1937 . . .. 15?195 2?309 9?345 895 32?662 Grand totals, 1936 .. .. 15,477 2,205 9,075 4,706 765 32,228 Difference .. .. .. j -282 +104 +270 +212 +130 +434