21

8.—5

Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Public subscriptions .. .. .. 14 5 0 Benches .. .. .. .. 713 0 Advance by members of class .. .. 9 0 0 Tools .. .. .. .. ..825 Grant in aid (Government) . . .. 25 0 0 Refund to instructor (train-fare) .. .. 210 0 Train-fare for instructor .. .. .. 210 0 Pees to instructor .. .. .. ..850 Capitation grant .. .. .. ..163 Refund advance by members .. .. 900 Balance .. .. .. .. .. 16 10 10 £52 1 3 £52 1 3

ohristohurgh school op domestic instruction. Eepoet fob the Yeae 1897. Oub annual report for the year 1896 was written with a somewhat gloomy outlook. The school had, indeed, so far had a fairly prosperous existence, with its finances secured by a pound-for-pound subsidy out of the public fu-nds on friendly contributions and class-fees. There was a good and increasing attendance of pupils of all classes, and the public seemed to appreciate the work that was done; but the Act for the promotion of technical instruction, which had recently come into force, superseding the earlier arrangements, said nothing of subsidies on voluntary efforts, and substituted such meagie financial provisions that our school, and others of a similar technical character in the colony, were threatened with disaster. We were like to be killed by mistaken kindness, though not, certainly, by way of surfeit. Happily, however, those in authority recognised the realities of the position ere it was too late, and means were found at the close of the year by which a special grant was made to the bodies concerned, and to our school among the number. Our share of the special grant was £80, and this sum, with £40 balance in hand, enabled us to begin the new year with brighter prospects. The year just passed has, we are happy to say, been the best we have yet had. The number of pupils quarter by quarter has been more than well maintained, and the amount derived from fees has largely exceeded previous receipts. The following are the returns for the four quarters, giving the number of classes conducted (cookery, dressmaking, and laundry-work), the total number of pupils attending them, the average attendance, and the amount of capitation claimed. Jan.-March. April-June. July-Sept. Oot.-Deo. Number of classes ... ... 13 11 11 12 Number of pupils ... ... 150 135 151 138 Average attendance ... ... 125-5 102-7 126-8 117-4 Amount of capitation ... ... £15 13s. 9d. £12 16s. 9d. £15 17s. £14 13s. 6d. During the year cooking classes were opened at Ashburton at the instance of local residents, and arrangements were made by which one or more of our teachers went down there on Saturdays to conduct them. Later on, the Ashburton people wished us to arrange for a Friday evening class as well, but the arrangement could not readily be made, and during the past quarter only one Saturday class at Ashburton has been conducted. The new Technical Education Bill, which is now before the House of Eepresentatives, and which is intended to supersede " The Manual and Technical Instruction Act, 1895," the Act to which reference has already been made, is a greatly improved measure. In its financial provisions as affecting -ourselves it increases the capitation grant by two-fifths, and further embodies the principle of a pound-for-pound subsidy on private contributions and on donations from local public bodies, empowering the latter, whatever the ordinary purposes of their existence may be, to make such donations. If the Bill becomes law we shall still have to depend on the generosity of friends to assist us by their subscriptions, and with the encouragement given we have no doubt they will continue to do so. As may be seen by a glance at our honorary treasurer's statement, we shall begin the coming year with a balance to credit of £71, and, taking into account all sources of income, we may entertain a reasonable confidence that a pretty satisfactory basis for a permanent existence is now assured, provided only that the instruction afforded continues to be equally acceptable to those for whose benefit it is intended. One important item of expenditure is the annual rent for the rooms occupied. This item, we think, should ere long disappear, and we trust that means will presently be found of providing a suitable building, in which the branches of practical domestic economy may find a home side by side with other branches of technical education. We are glad to see that the Government of the day is alive to the requirements of the colony in this respect. Meanwhile, pending further developments, we commend the needs of Christchurch to our friends the members of the Industrial Association, through whom, it seems to us, a movement in the desired direction could best be made. The classes in cookery have just been examined for prizes, &c, by Mrs. E. D. Harman, a diplomats of the South Kensington School of Oookery, whose very satisfactory report is appended. As the result of the special certificate examination held at the same time, one pupil receives a certificate in advanced cooking, and five in plain cooking. Chaelotte W. Tuekbll, Vice-President. Christchurch, 10th December, 1897.