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should be thirty or forty children of different standards put under the charge of a skilful teacher, who should conduct the classes thus put under him as a small school. Here the students should at certain times see such a school engaged in work, and should in turn take part in conducting it under the direction of the teacher in charge, so that, besides deriving a knowledge of teaching from books, lectures, and the teaching of classes in a town school, they would become thoroughly acquainted with the best methods of conducting a country school. Without some such provision many sent to the charge of small schools will have to grope their way experimentally. Some years ago there was a school of this kind. It has ceased to exist, but should be re-instituted, care being taken that a skilful teacher is put in charge. There would be some difficulties attending its institution, but not serious ones. I recommended, in a former report that no probationer should be put in charge of the smallest school without having had at least six months' practical work in town; some of this time, at least, should be spent by such in the proposed model school before being sent out. Many of those now in charge of the smaller country schools, who lack skill rather than energy, would willingly seek to get their holidays so arranged that they could, for a time, come to see such a school carried on. Of the discipline in the schools visited I can, in the great majority of cases, report favourably. Much really good work is being done in the greater number of these schools, and they are gradually working more and more towards the thorough overtaking of the subjects—pass, class, and additional —set forth in the syllabus of instruction. The movement is, on the whole, one of progress. There are still some important remediable defects. The means of remedying most of them have been suggested or discussed in the reports, annual and special, furnished by the Board's Inspectors. To some of these defects I have here adverted. I have, &c, The Chairman, Board of Education, Auckland. Wi. Fidleb, M.A., Inspector. [Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, nil; printing (2,875 copies), £54 Is. 6d.]

Authority: Gboege Didsbuky, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBB7.