western division, on the contrary, over one-half (51.7 per cent) of the higher education is public.

It must be stated that there is no well-defined line separating public from private higher institutions. In some of the institutions considered as public the State merely gives some pecuniary aid, perhaps with a representation on the governing board.

A large part of the public higher education is given in normal schools, as will be seen from the detailed table. Deducting these there remain in other professional schools (law, medicine, technology, etc.) and in colleges of the liberal arts the following proportion of public and private students:

Without counting in normal education, then, which is peculiarly a State interest, only 13 per cent, or about one-eighth, of the higher education is given in public institutions. In the North Atlantic States the proportion is particularly small, being only 6 per cent, and even this might be reduced by a more rigid classification.

Actual relation of school enrollment to population.-The percentage columns of the following table give the proportion of the population enrolled in schools of different kinds.

Elementary schools enrolled 22.27 per cent of the population, or about 1 person in 4; secondary schools, 0.53 per cent, or 1 in 171; higher institutions, 0.24 per cent, or 1 in 418.

Total number of pupils and students of each grade, in both public and private schools.

Public. d Private. Total. (private). Public. Private Total.

d Mainly State universities.

CHAPTER II.

SECONDARY EDUCATION IN NEW ZEALAND.

By Sir ROBERT STOUT, K. C. M. G.,

Formerly minister of education and premier of the colony.

Col. Higginson, in his Atlantic Essays, has said: "But as the value of a nation to the human race does not depend upon its wealth or numbers, so it does not depend even upon the distribution of elementary knowledge, but upon the high-water mark of its educated mind."

If, therefore, New Zealand had only provided a free elementary education, it would have failed in its duty. Though it is a young nation, having just celebrated its jubilee, and has only a population of 686,651 persons, it has done something for culture. To understand, however, its position in reference to secondary schools, it will be necessary to state briefly what the Government provision has been for elementary education and how far that education extends.

The colony has a system of free, compulsory, and secular education. The whole cost of the schools, buildings, staff, maintenance, everything, is paid out of the general revenue of the colony. There are no local rates nor local contributions. It is true that the committees that have the control of the schools may raise, by voluntary subscription, small sums to give little adjuncts to the ordinary school buildings or playgrounds, but further than this nothing is done by local districts to bear the cost of education. The colony is divided into thirteen education districts, and these districts are again divided into school districts. There is generally only one school in a district but there may be more. The committees are selected by the householders and parents in the various school districts, and the committees elect the boards. The committees consist of 5, 7, or 9 persons, according to the number of children in the district, whilst the boards consist of 9 members holding office for three years, three retiring annually. The school committees are annually elected. There is also a minister of education, with a small staff. He, however, only controls and directs; he does not administer the act. The main part of administration falls upon the boards. They appoint inspectors and teachers, and they dismiss teachers. The appointments or dismissals, however, are only made after consulting the committee. They erect buildings and look after education

generally. The committees attend to what may be termed the local wants of the school and advise the board as to teachers, and they conduct affairs generally in the school district.

The sum spent last year on primary education by grants to boards. was £407,494 18s. 11d. There was other expenditure in the department, including the cost of administration, the total education vote being, including £34,617 11s. 2d. from reserves, £446,642 38. 7d. There are 1,272 state primary schools in the colony, and 3,065 teachers. There are various church and private schools, but as these are not aided nor inspected by the State I omit the statistics referring to them. The teachers are graded and hold their certificate from the minister of education. There are nine ranks as follows:

The letters denote scholarship, while the figures denote success in practical teaching. No one can get the highest grade unless he is an M. A., with first or second class honors of some university recognized by the department. No one can get a B rank unless he is a B. A., and no one can get a C rank unless he has passed a certain examination equivalent at least to half of a graduate's degree. The children are admitted at 5 and may be kept at school till 15. The compulsory age, however, is 7 to 13. In order to show what is taught in elementary schools it will only be necessary to copy the sixth and highest standard. It is:

STANDARD VI.

1. Pass subjects.

Reading.-A book containing extracts from general literature; spelling and dictation suited to this stage.

Writing. The copying of tabulated matter showing bold head lines and marking distinctions, such as in letter-press require varieties of type (e. g., the copying of these printed standards or of a catalogue showing division into groups).

Arithmetic.-Vulgar and decimal fractions; interest and other commercial rules, such as discount, stocks, partnership, and exchange; the metric system of weights and measures, and calculations with pound, florin, cent, and mill; square root and simple cases of mensuration of surfaces; mental arithmetic generally. Composition.-Essay or letter.

Geography. The maps of Asia and North America. Work analogous to the work prescribed under the head of "Map of Europe" for Standard V. The map of the world; British possessions, their principal towns and leading products, with some knowledge of their relative importance and of the forms of government of the most important. Physical geography: The principal causes of difference of climate, with illustrations.