E—l

Although circumstances have retarded the Branch's building programme, renovations and alterations have been carried out in several institutions, and a new block has been opened at the Girls' Training Centre, Burwood, for use as a hostel for older girls working outside the institution in the daytime. A building purchased at Palmerston North was opened during the year as a receiving home serving the districts on the West of the North Island. UNESCO The New Zealand representatives to the first General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in Paris in November-December, 1946, were Dr. C. E. Beeby, Director of Education, Dr. R. A. Falla, Curator of the Canterbury Museum, and Miss Lorna McPhee, Information Officer at the High Commissioner's Office in London. The Government is hopeful that UNESCO will, in terms of its constitution, " contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture . . . " As a small nation New Zealand has much to gain from membership of such an organization. I also like to think that it has something worth while to give. Retirement Mr. F. C. Reynard, B.Se., retired during 1946 from the position of Superintendent of Technical Education which he had held for eight years. I should like to pay a tribute here to the good work he did in this important office. Acknowledgments The number of persons of whom special mention should be made for their work in education during this very fruitful year is legion. The children of New Zealand owe much to the devoted work on their behalf of members of controlling bodies, of School Committees and parents' associations, of the many consultative committees that have freely given their time and energies to the consideration of educational problems, of administrative staffs, and of the teachers with whom, after all, the final responsibility rests. To them all I offer the Government's sincere thanks.

TABLES Table C1.—PUBLIC PRIMARY SCHOOLS by Grade, December, 1946

Thirty-seven schools with side schools attached are counted as separate schools.

11

Grade. Number of Schools. Grade. Number of Schools. ' I (1-8). 92 VA (191-230) 32 II (9-24) 631 VB (231-270) 33 IIIA (25-30) 119 Vc (271-310) , 33 IIIB (31-70) 527 Vd (311-350) 26 IYA (71-110) 175 VI (351-510) 109 IYB (111-150) 105 VII (511-910) .. 66 TVr< n^l-lQO^ 54 i. V V 1 Xt* X*7"JL . • • • Total 2,002