E.—7.

a handsome addition to the pile of buildings occupied by the college. The school will rent from the college the portion especially erected for its use. The department is under the control of a combined committee, consisting of the College and Museum Committees. A systematic method of instruction has been entered upon. The attendance has steadily increased, until at present there are forty names on the books. In addition to which the matriculated students have attended lectures "on mathematics, mechanics, physics, and chemistry. The present accommodation is strained to its utmost limit, and some inconvenience will be felt until the new building is available for occupation. The great majority of the students are of the class known as extra students, and consist of foremen, mechanics, and apprentices employed at the local engineering establishments. The matriculated students are four in number, three being on the mechanical and one on the civil engineering side. Two of these students hold entrance scholarships. The leading engineering firms in England have been invited to state the terms upon which they are prepared to supply the experimental machinery required for the laboratory. Girls' High School. During this year there have been a few changes in the staff. Miss Gibson, one of the assistants, has been appointed Lady Principal of the Nelson Girls' College, and to fill the vacancy others in the school have been promoted, and a part-time teacher appointed. The classes for cooking were continued most successfully till the end of last year. This year, on account of the illness and death of the teacher, Mr. Morton, nothing has been done in this subject. Steps to fill the post of teacher of cooking at the Girls' High School, by advertising in the local papers, were taken by the Board. This action resulted in only three applications being received, but no appointment was made. Subsequently advertisements were again, inserted throughout the colony, and these will be considered by the Committee at an early date. The resignation by Mr. Firth of the position of instructor in gymnastics was received, and Major Richards was appointed to succeed him. The dress-cutting classes grow larger every year, and at present consist of 26 girls. A large number joined the swimming classes last season. The number of pupils last term was 150; the number attending at the same time last year was 141. At the entrance examination of the University held last December 13 girls entered for matriculation, and 12 passed. Of the four girls who entered for junior University Scholarships, two were successful in gaining them, and were respectively sixth and eighth on the list. The other two candidates had good places in the honours list—namely, the eighteenth and twenty-first respectively. At the examination held last April by the Board of Education one girl gained a scholarship in class D. The school was examined at the end of last year, and the reports of the examiners (Professor Cook, Professor Bickerton, the Eev. C. Turrell, Mr. H. 0. Forbes, and Mr. W. P. Ward) were very favourable. The water-supply at the school has been greatly improved by the sinking of a new well to the second stratum. Boys' High School. The number of pupils has increased from 128 last year to 134 this. The Board has sanctioned the appointment of two part-time masters —Mr. 0. T. J. Alpers, M.A., to take charge of the preparatory class; and Mr. E. Speight, M.A., to assist in the mathematical and science work. Mr. Speight also has been placed in charge of the boys who are exempted from Latin. These have now, therefore, a special master during the Latin period, and in place of Latin learn mensuration, drawing, and science. The instruction in carpentering in the school workshop is still carried on successfully, and some creditable specimens of workmanship were exhibited on the prize day in December last. There are now in the workshop 18 pupils. The cadet corps and swimming classes have also been maintained. For the last two years a competition for the Australasian Society's medal for life-saving has been held in the school bath in the month of March, and has evoked considerable interest among the boys. The bath has been connected with the main drain, and can now be cleaned more frequently, more effectually, and at less cost than before. In January last, also, a well was sunk to the lower stratum, which provides to the bath an abundant supply of fresh water. At the entrance examination of the University held last December seven boys entered for matriculation, and six passed ; and one boy passed the medical preliminary examination. Three boys also competed for junior scholarships, and one was successful, being placed third on the list of ten scholars; while the two others obtained good places on the honours list —namely, the fourth and seventh respectively. At the University examination for the M.A. degree, Mr. T. H. Green, an old pupil, obtained first-class honours in chemistry. At the examination held last April by the Board of Education, the three candidates from this school were successful in winning the three scholarships awarded in Class 0. In March last the Board granted remission of fees to the end of the year to five scholars and exhibitioners who showed promise, and whose scholarship or exhibition had just expired. Mr. F. 0. Faulkner, 8.A., has resigned, having been appointed to the headmastership of the Perth High School, and the Board has decided on advertising for a master in his place, at a salary of £300 per annum. Museum. During the year elapsed since the Ist July last, the improvements then in progress have been steadily pushed forward. The chief alteration has been the removal of the general geological collection from the New Zealand room, and the distribution of the osteological specimens into the cases beside their stuffed representatives, by which arrangement space was found for the technological objects. These have, therefore, been more advantageously exhibited than before. Towards the better display of objects illustrating the natural history of New Zealand the work of the past year has been chiefly directed. Donations have been made to the Museum almost as numerousl}as in past years, thanks to the liberality of the public, chiefly of Canterbury. It is encouraging to have to record that the number of visitors to trie Museum has been largely in excess of the last year, not alone of strangers (attracted to New Zealand by the Dunedin Exhibition), but of townspeople as well. Many travellers, more or less interested or distinguished in science, from England, '

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