E.—s

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School. Thirty-eight individual pupils have attended these outside classes, the average attendance for the year being twenty-seven for the three classes. The subjects taught were also the same as in past years. Practical plane and solid geometry and perspective chiefly on Saturday afternoons for Board teachers preparing for examinations held in June and January. Mechanical drawing and machine-construction has been taken up by nearly all the evening-class pupils; so also has science subject, steam and steam-engine, in preparation for the examinations of the New Zealand Government, as well as for the South Kensington Science and Art Department. In the subject, applied mechanics, a substantial advance has been made during the year. Graphic statics and. builders' quantities have also been taken up by a few pupils, who have worked through a course. Larger results, however, may be expected when the importance of these branches is better known. At the South Kensington examinations, held in Auckland this year, the following number of pupils from these classes were presented : Nineteen in machine construction and drawing, eleven in steam and steam-engine, seven in applied mechanics, and also two in mechanical engineering at the City Guilds examination. The results of these are not as yet to hand. Though the work of the year has been in most respects the same as before, the quality of it has improved, and there is a greater appreciation of the English science and technical examinations, now within reach once a year. The following are the results of examinations held this year and last year : — Neiv Zealand Government Examinations in Land and Marine Engineering, held in 1900.—Firstclass certificates granted, 1; second class, 1; third class, 4 ; river engineers'" certificates, 3 ; marine-engine drivers' certificates, 6; locomotive- and traction-engine drivers' certificates, 3; winding engineers' certificates, 4. South Kensington Science and Art Department Examination, held in 1899. —Machine construction and drawing: First advanced, 1 ; second advanced, 2 ; first elementary, 7 ; second elementary, 4. Steam and steam-engine : First elementary, 5; second elementary, 1. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. W. I. Robinson.

WANGANUI TECHNICAL SCHOOL. Sir,— 9th February, 1901. I have the honour to submit my annual report upon the primary drawing and work of the Technical School for the year 1900, as follows : — At the beginning of the third quarter a change was made in the teaching staff. Mr. H. I. Babbage was transferred from this school to Hawera, where he has to devote the whole of his time to the building-up of a permanent school. Mr. L. J. Watkin was transferred to Palmerston North, to devote the whole of his time to that school. Miss Murphy, who acted as instructress in cookery, resigned, and these classes have been for the present discontinued. Miss G. E. Browne and Mr. James Richardson were appointed pupil-teachers in the art department of this school. After serving the Board for the last three years Mr. Bruce severed his connection with this school. Praise is due to him for the efficient way in which he discharged his duties as instructor in carpentry and joinery, and manual-training classes. The Board decided to appoint Mr. James Thornton in his place. The rest of the staff remains the same as it was last year. I may state that I am entirely satisfied with the new appointments. The average enrolment of students who attended the different classes of this school during the four quarters was as follows: Day classes for drawing and painting, 11; evening class for drawing and painting, 26; building-construction, 4-2; machine-construction, 10-25; perspective and geometry, 16-5; plumbing, 3; teachers' Saturday class, 9 - 5 ; botany, 4; wood-carving, 23-75; clay-modelling, 2; bench-work, 5-66; experimental science, 5-5; chemistry, 5-5; book-keep-ing, 3-5 ; Latin and English, 27 ; mathematics, 1225 ; cooking (including country classes), 119 ; perspective (day), 3 ; mensuration, 4 : total, 286-2. The following list shows the occupations of the students who attended the various classes : Architect, 1 ; artist, 1; bookseller, 1; blacksmiths, 2 ; bricklayer, 1; butcher, 1; boilermaker, 1; carpenters, 11; clerks, 12 ; chemists, 5 ; cutter, 1; cabinetmakers, 8 ; draper, 1; dressmakers, 2 ; dentist, 1 ; engineers, 9 ; fitters, 2 ; farmers, 4; grocers, 2 ; home duties, 25; ironmonger, 1 ; joiner, 1 ; law clerks, 3 ; mill-hand, 1 ; merchants, 2 ; music-teachers, 4 ; nurse, 1; plumbers, 3 ; photographer, 1 ; painter, 1; tailor, 1; turner, 1 ; telegraphist, 1 ; teachers and pupil-teachers, 37 ; retouchers, 2 ; upholsterer, 1; students, 14 ; watchmaker, 1; warehouseman, 1; wood-carvers, 2. Drawing and Painting. —The same course of instruction has been pursued as last year. The attendance has made a slight increase since my last report. The more advanced students were taken out for a day's practice in sketching from nature ; some good work was executed. The class for teachers and pupil-teachers was held every Saturday from 9.30 to 1 p.m. The subjects of instruction were freehand, model-drawing, geometry, memory drawing from objects and copies. I am pleased to report that considerable interest is manifested in most branches of work. In the model-drawing and geometry the work has improved. .Life Class. —This class has been held every Wednesday and Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. for the study of the human figure. The general work has greatly improved since last year, the advanced students working in oil and water colour. Machine Drawing and Construction. —This class has increased in attendance. The work is principally the sketching and dimensioning details of engines and complete machines; designing steam-boilers and engines, with all their various parts. Building-construction. —Satisfactory work has been done in this class during the year. The attendance has been broken up owing to the shifting-about of the students from one part of the