E.—lb

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deal of poor work in geography, and it is brought about by teachers doing too much of the work, as pointing out each feature separately, instead of getting pupils to be able to form a mental picture of a map, and name in order the features from one point to another. Drawing shows a high percentage of passes in each standard in which it is a pass-subject. More scale drawing might in future be done in Standard IV. and Standard V., and care should be taken that the figures are of large size, that all measurements are neatly marked in, and that all lines stand the test of the scale. Class-subjects.—ln the last Annual Eeport the Minister of Education wrote as follows: "The ' class-subjects are not in any sense optional. A class must be examined in these subjects before any pupil in it is admitted to examination in the ' pass-subjects. If the ' class-subjects received as much attention as the 'pass-subjects, the results of examination expressed in marks ought to be in favour of the ' class-subjects The conclusion suggested by the comparison is, that a subject is likely to receive less attention if it ranks as a ' class-subject than it would receive if it were included among the 'pass-subjects." The class-subjects are, I may say, drawing (in Standard VI. only), geography (Standard 11. and Standard IV.), history (Standard 111., Standard IV., Standard V., and Standard IV.), and elementary science and object-lessons; and the percentage of marks obtained in all taken together was only 49-5, while the percentage on the " pass"-subjects (not omitting exceptions) was 76-5. Some of the " class"-subjects undoubtedly were not regularly taught at a few schools, notably Maxwell; for I met with whole classes of pupils in regular attendance who made no attempt to answer any question on their examination cards, and who showed similar ignorance when examined orally. On the other hand, at some schools the answering was quite as good in the " class"-subjects as in the " pass"-subjects. On the examination schedules may be seen the marks obtained by each school in each subject, but I have not kept these marks apart for the district as a whole, so I cannot give the different percentages. I am, however, quite satisfied that Geography was the most efficiently taught subject. In Standard 11. I should like to have found the pupils more familiar with the printing and colours on a map, for it was nothing unusual to find those who could readily recognise peninsulas, islands, &c, unable to say for what colours, wavy lines, dots, and such-like stood. —In History the answering seldom was good, while at not a few schools it was marvellously absurd. I still think that history should not be required in Standard III.—In Drawing in Standard VI., freehand and plain geometry generally were good, but, as in many schools solid geometry and model drawing (especially the former) had not been taught, the marks for the subject as a whole were materially lowered. —In Science intelligent answering was very rare, and Object-lesson teaching slowly improves. At my inspection visits I sometimes noticed teachers when giving lessons in these subjects floundering helplessly along because they had not written notes beforehand as so often recommended. Science would be much benefited if a well-arranged and not too extensive syllabus, and a text-book covering such syllabus, were prepared. The syllabus as at present laid down might well be divided into two or more classsubjects. Upon the sole teachers of small schools science and history press very hardly, and lam more than ever convinced in the opinion expressed in my annual report for 1887, that in such schools some extra subjects should be compulsory and some optional, and that a sole teacher with preparatory classes and six standards to teach should not be required to take up as many (if any) optional subjects as a principal teacher of a large town school where each class has at least one teacher. How science can be taught with any success to two or three pupils by means of one lesson a week, and when all pupils are seldom present at two lessons in succession, is a mystery which I do not attempt to solve. Additional Subjects.—The "additional subjects" are nominally six—viz., recitation, drill and exercises, singing, needlework, subject-matter of reading-lessons, and extra drawing; and in each subject the possible marks obtainable are 20, or in all a total of 120. The average number of marks obtained by each school was 42-3, but from this no idea can be formed of the quality of the work done, for all the subjects are not compulsory at all schools. Thus, singing is taught to all standards at comparatively few schools, extra drawing at hardly any, and needlework only at those where either female sole teachers or female assistants are employed. Hence, at a large proportion of schools only three subjects were valued by me ; and, in order that outsiders may be able to form some opinion of the quality of the work actually done, it would be better if the total marks obtained were expressed as a percentage of the obtainable marks in only those subjects taken up at each school. In the class-subjects such a calculation is required.— Recitation varied from excellent to mere sing-song. lam afraid several teachers think that recitation consists in the repetition of words more or less accurately.— Needlework generally was very good.—Of the subject-matter of the readinglessons I can say nothing favourable, for at very few schools could pupils give the meanings of passages in their own words in sentences, while at several they could make no attempt at all at answering. I should like to know what kind of training teachers consider a First Standard has received when not a pupil in the class will make an attempt to describe what is meant by " the country" or by "pretty lanes," when such words appear in the reading-lesson. It seems to me that what is known as " oral composition " might be made a valuable means for bringing about improvement in this important matter. For example, words occurring in a reading-lesson are written on the blackboard, and pupils are called on individually to stand up and make sentences containing one or more of these words. Time should be reserved at the end of each lesson for recapitulating parts of it by the pupils themselves, and they could be required to ask questions about it. Inquiry on the part of the pupils is not sufficiently encouraged at any lesson. Above all, answers should be made in sentences, not in single words, and pupils should be required to improve upon the wording of each other's answers.— Military drill is taught in very few r schools. The order, discipline, and behaviour are on the whole satisfactory. Their class motions pupils can perform, when they like, with quickness and precision ; but at several schools unnecessary noise and excitement are too common at change of lessons and at the end of the day's work just before dismissal,