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the report for the year 1948 were brought up to date, and, accordingly, the following figures give the latest data and estimates of school population as a guide to what the over-all picture in public and Maori school enrolments will be in the next few years.

If these additional pupils were to be accommodated in all the public schools in proportion to present enrolments, no great problems would arise. This is not the case, however, and investigation has shown that because of shifts in population from locality to locality, new schools of relatively large size will be required in certain areas. Not only will schools be required, but the equipment and facilities for the schools also, and the additional teachers to staff them will be necessary. The Education Boards throughout the Dominion are giving ready co-operation in investigating the needs for additional accommodation, and with their help I feel confident that the needs will be met. In some cases prefabricated class-rooms are, in the meantime, providing very necessary temporary accommodation. A perusal of the figures in the following table shows that, at the post-primary stage, an equally pressing situation faces the Government in accommodating the steadilv increasing number of pupils. The roll numbers (omitting part-time students) in public post-primary schools for the years 1944 to 1949 were as follows : 1944 .. .. 41,000 1947 .. .. 45,600 1945 .. .. 44,700 1948 .. .. 45,600 1946 .. .. 45,400 1949 .. .. 46,900 Estimated roll numbers for those schools for the years 1951 to 1956 are as follows : 1951 .. .. 48,400 1954 .. .. 56,700 1952 .. .. 50,300 1955 .. .. 60,900 1953 ..• .. 52,800 1956 .. .. 62,200 A close investigation into the incidence of the increases in particular areas has been made, and as a result new schools will have to be built in some of the suburban districts in both the North and South Islands, while in other places additional class-room accommodation will have to be provided. While in the past, shortages of essential materials necessary in the construction of schools has resulted in a slowing down in the rate of construction, this should not prove to be quite so serious a factor in the future. However, the availability of certain materials at the times that they are wanted may still have a bearing on the class of material in which a school is built. The essential point, however, to be kept in mind is that a large building programme lies ahead and that in its completion a fast rate of construction will have to be maintained if schools are to be ready for occupation when they are actually needed.

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Births. Public and Maori School Enrolment. Numxbor. Eight-year Year Ages 5 to Ages 13 Total Period. Under 13. and Over. Number. 229,700 1931-1939 1944 185,200 24,250 209,450 235,500 1932-1940 1945 190,360 23,640 214,000 247,100 1933-1941 1946 198,160 22,240 220,400 259,400 1934-1942 1947 210,800 21,700 232,500 265,900 1935-1943 1948 216,200 21,200 237,400 276,100 1936-1944 1949 225,200 21,800 247,000 Estimates 286,400 1937-1945 1950 233,700 22,100 255,800 299,100 1938-1946 1951 243,800 23,100 266,900 317,700 1939-1947 1952 258,700 24,200 282,900 332,900 1940-1948 1953 271,200 25,600 296,800 342,700 1941-1949 1954 279,500 28,600 308,100