E.—7

8

has for some time past occupied the position of Chairman of the Board of Advice, and has taken the greatest interest in the work of the School, and given much care, time, and attention to the working of the farm since his appointment to the Board of Advice. A portrait in oils of the late Mr W E. Ivey has beeni presented to the institution by subscribers, and has been hung in the dining-hall. The thanks of the Board of Governors have been given to the Commissioners appointed in England to select a director for the School—Lord Onslow, the Agent-General, and Mr P Cunningham. After much trouble and care they finally selected Mr John Bayne for the position. He entered upon his duties at Lincoln on the 28th March. The thanks of the Board were given to Mr H. Overton, and also to Mr G. Gray, for services rendered to the department pending the appointment of a new director and his arrival in the colony His Excellency the Governor and Lady Glasgow visited the Lincoln College on the 9th of February, and expressed themselves pleased with the institution. Mr. A. E G. Ehodes, in virtue of his position as Chairman of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, is now a member of the Lincoln College Board of Advice. At the time of the arrival of Mr Bayne twenty-six students were in residence, now there are thirty-six, including one scholarship holder and three day students. A few applications have been made for next term, commencing on the 25th July, and it is anticipated by that time the numbers will have reached forty The cost of maintenance, which includes food, fuel, light, and attendance for each student and member of the teaching staff in residence, has been £44 2s, 9d. The final certificate of the College was obtained by student W C. Leys. Annual certificates of merit were awarded to students S. E. Crawford, W C. Leys, and H. Telford, of the second year; and to students H. S. Marshall, G. H. Stewart, W Waddell, H. Withy, and E. T B. Worthy, of the first year The subjects taught are those set forth in the printed prospectus. Class work has been conducted on almost the same lines as formerly Weekly examinations are held in the various subjects of instruction. During the examinations at the end of the first term no suspension of farm work took place, special arrangements having been made to admit of its being carried on. In agriculture both first- and second-year students receive outdoor demonstrations and write reports thereon. The privilege formerly granted to second-year students of attending the Addington saleyards has been continued, and arrangements may also be made to enable them to visit from time to time various typical farms, dairies, and breeds of live-stock in different districts. The only change in the teaching staff has been made in the appointment of Mr J E. Oharlton, M.E.C.V.S., to the post as lecturer on veterinary science Messrs. G Gray, P Marshall, and C. E Adams having charge of the chemical, biological, and mathematical departments respectively The farm on the whole is in good order. The yields of barley and wheat were poor owing to the prevalence of rust; those of beans, peas, oats, and grass-seed were quite up to the average. Throughout the summer grass was abundant. The live-stock are of good quality, in good condition, and by continuous culling and selection a high standard of excellence bids fair to be attained. The stud flocks comprise Border Leicesters, English Leicesters, and Shropshire Downs, the two latter being purchased this year from the special vote granted for that purpose. The numbers of livestock on the farm are as follows Cattle, 60, sheep, 1,280 , horses, 14, and pigs, 105. The annual valuation took place on Tuesday, the 19th June, in the presence of the second-year students, and was conducted by Messrs. W Boag, D McMillan, and H. Overton. The results compare somewhat unfavourably with those of the preceding valuation, owing to the general fall in prices of livestock and farm produce. The Board of Advice have made their usual monthly visits, and have rendered valuable service in connection with the working and management of the institution and farm.

APPENDICES. 1. Ebpokt op the Lectueeb in Chabge of the School of Engineering and Technical Science. I have the honour to report on the work of the School of Engineering and Technical Science. This work has, during the past year, considerably increased, both in scope and amount, the school being now open eleven and a half hours per diem, with the exception of Saturdays when the working hours are three and a half. Whilst the number of individual students remains practically the same (fiftyone) as last year, the hour attendances have increased from 219 to 254 per week. There are now twelve distinct courses of lectures, occupying thirty-three hours per week, the school being divided into two sections, the one a department of the College for the preparation of matriculated students taking the course for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Engineering, the other a technical school for the instruction of artisans and apprentices by means of evening lectures. The College section, which in the past has suffered from the uncertainty which has existed as to the provision of apparatus required by the University regulations, now shows promise of very considerable expansion. There are numerous candidates for the December entrance exhibition, for which hitherto there has been little or no competition, but perhaps the best indication of the effect of the Board's decision to complete the equipment of the school is given by the following extract from a speech of Mr A. Burt, when presiding at the distribution of prizes at the Boys' High School, Dunedin. He said: lf There is another profession, which, to some extent, has been overlooked—that of engineering. In a manufacturing city like ours, it is necessary that a proportion of our boys should turn their attention to the studies in connection with this profession, and to encourage them a technical school is necessary, wherein boys should be taught the use of tools and construction, along with their mathematics, preparing them to enter the Engineering College in Christchurch. During the the past few years this College has made great advancement, and I venture to say that, when the machinery now ordered from England is fixed up, there will be no necessity for us to send our boys all the way to England to study engineering." Mr Burt has supplemented this expression of opinion by the offer of free instruction at his works to any High School boy intending to compete