E.-5

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under Mr. D. Sherriff, and wood-carving under Miss Gether, because these have undergone no change from last year, except that their attendances have largely increased. The cookery classes were this year carried on at the private residence of Mrs. Miller, in London Street, and were well attended. I hope, when our new class-rooms are opened, that the work done by the pupils who compete for the B and C certificates of the association will be thrown open to the public. If our young women, and especially our domestic servants, could see the excellent results which accrue from a course of study in these classes, they would hasten to avail themselves of them, and to qualify for the possession of these certificates. And if heads of households would take the trouble to satisfy themselves of the meaning and value of the certificates, they would soon insist on them as a sine qua non in engaging a servant. In connection with outside examinations, I have nothing to report about those for certificates for the South Kensington Science and Art Department, as entries were made to the local examinations conducted by the Education Board. In the examinations for the City and Guilds of London Institute, held in May last, nine students entered, viz. : In plumbing, four in the honours and one in the ordinary grade ; and in mechanical engineering, four. None entered this year for carpentry and joinery. The reports of all the teachers as to the industry, zeal, and good behaviour of the pupils are unanimously good. The association is again indebted to those ladies and gentlemen who undertook to act as examiners or assessors. It is always one of the most pleasing features in my report that I have to record so much assistance readily given by friends of the association to this work. In conclusion, I desire to express my thanks to the teaching staff for the pleasant readiness with which they have carried on their work, often under difficulty and disadvantageous circumstances. I trust that with the new session we shall not only enter into possession of new and suitable premises, but that the period of makeshifts through which we have struggled during the past nine years will have come to an end. Geo. M. Thomson, Hon. Secretary and Superintendent.

BALCLUTHA TECHNICAL CLASSES ASSOCIATION. Annual Eepoet and Balance-sheet, 1897. The Committee expended £9 14s. sd. on new tools, and £15 19s. 2d. (nearly half of which was contributed by the Education Board) in extending the workshop. The following classes were held : April-June quarter : Carpentry—Boll-number, 24; average, 212. Upholstery—Boll-number, 7; average, 5-5. Wood-carving—Boll-number, 8; average, 75. Book-keeping —8011-number, 18; average, 14-8. Dressmaking —8011-number, 6; average, 6. Shorthand —8011-number, 14 ; average, 105. July-September quarter : Carpentry—Boll-number, 19; average, 18-5. Dressmaking—Boll-number, 8; average, 8. Shorthand — 8011-number, 10; average, 8-9. Classes were also held in gymnastics, ambulance, and nursing. Lectures were delivered by Alexander Bathgate, Esq., Bey. Dr. Waddell, and J. S. Tennent, Esq., M.A., and several concerts held. Beceipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance .. .. .. 65 14 0 By Teachers'allowances and olass expenses.. 49 12 9 Class fees and members' subscriptions .. 38 10 0 Addition to workshop .. .. ... 15 19 2 Education Board subsidy .. .. 710 0 Carpenter's tools .. .. .. 914 5 Government subsidy .. .. .. 15 14 3 Printing and advertising .. .. 8 2 6 Apparatus .. .. .. .. 2 10 0 Sundries .. .. .. .. 013 9 Balance .. .. 40 15 8 £127 8 3 £127 8 3

MANUAL-TRAINING CLASS, BALCLUTHA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL, OTAGO. Schoolmasteb's Eepoet. Cabpentby classes under Mr. Burley were held during the quarters ending June and September. For the former quarter the average attendance was twenty, for the latter 282. Owing to the number of pupils the classes were divided into sections, taken at different hours. The boys showed great earnestness in their work and pride in the result of their efforts, and credit is due to Mr. Burley for his zeal and energy. The boys provided their own material, and, as the Balclutha Technical Classes Association kindly gave the use of their workshop and tools, there was no outlay save the instructor's fees, which were met by the Government subsidy of £9 os. 7d.

Receipts: To Government subsidy, £9 os. 7d. Expenditure: By Instructor's fees, £9 os. 7d. W. McEleea, Head-teacher.

manual and technical classes, tokomairiro district high school, otago. Committee's Eepoet. Woodwork. —During the second and third quarters of the year twenty-five boys were trained to the use of tools in the workshop, six of whom made boxes for themselves to hold clothes ; six, writing-desks ; two, book-cases ; three, dressing-tables ; one, a music canterbury ; one, a chiffonier; one, an octagonal table; three, whatnots; one, desk with stand; and one, fretwork shelves. To make these articles the boys paid £10 ss. 10d. for material, and in addition a fee of 2s. 6d. per quarter to the janitor, Mr. Archer, for instruction, the articles made being their own property.