Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/626

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THE BIIITISH EMPIRE: — NEW ZEALAND

The colonial primary school system is administered by an Education Depart- ment, under a Minister, 13 Education Boards, and 1,290 School Committees. There are 1,585 public primary schools, with 3,628 teachers, and 132,197 scholars on the rolls ; average attendance, 110,523. School age is from 5 to 15. Education is compulsoiy between the ages of 7 and 13 in those districts in which the school committees bring the compulsory clauses of the Act into operation. The instruction given at the public schools is secular only, and for the ordinary standard course entirely free. Where there are no secondary schools classes may be formed in the public school for extra subjects, for which fees are charged. The system is maintained by a statutory allowance of 3^. 156'. per annum to the boards for each average attendance ; by special votes of about 12,000Z. per annum for inspection and scholarships; and by further special votes for school buildings, of which the amounts vary according to circumstances.

There are 278 private schools, with 765 teachers, and 14,447 pupils ; a medical school, and a school of mines ; a school of agriculture, a school of engineering, 2 normal schools, 4 schools of art ; 6 industrial schools, with 1,588 children or young persons ; a school for deaf mutes, with 47 pupils : a school for the blind, with 28 inmates.

There are 74 Native village schools, with 148 teachers, 2,864 scholars on the rolls, and average attendance of 2,291 ; and 4 boarding schools for native children, at which 73 Government scholars are under instruction. Total net expenditure by Government ou native schools in 1897 was 20,743Z.

Total Government expei;diture in 1897-98 upon education of all kinds 491, 706^., including 12,303^. for industrial schools, 3,122Z. for the school for cleaf mutes, 4511. (by way of subsidy) for the school for the blind, and 1,697/, for technical instruction.

In 1896 there were 304 public libraries, mechanics' institutes, and other literary and scientific institutions, with 17,638 members, 409,604 volumes. There are now (1897) 50 daily papers, 28 published three times a week, 30 twice g, week, 63 once a week, 3 fortnightly, and 26 monthly.

Justice and Crime,

The administration of justice is in the hands of five supreme court judges, four judges of district courts, and thirty stipendiary magistrates. Magis- trates courts are held daily in the principal centres and at convenient times in the smaller towns. There are numerous justices of the peace.

The convictions for the last five years in the superior and inferior courts were : —

1893

1894

1895

1896

1897

Europeans summarily con- victed ....

Europeans convicted be- fore supreme or district courts ....

13,454 260

12,613 300

13,067 344

14,149 291

15,185 303

There are 10 principal gaols and 24 minor gaols. At the end of 1897 these gaols contained 674 prisoners. The police force consists of 530 officers and men.