E.—6

14

City and Guilds of London Institute for the Advancement of Technical Education. The examinations under this Department have been conducted as usual. The number of papers examined was 17 ; passed, 11 ; failed, 6. Plumbing, theory and practice—B candidates ; 1 passed honours, 4 passed ordinary. Telegraphy and telephony—l candidate; passed honours. Electric lighting —6 candidates ; 2 passed ordinary, 2 passed preliminary. Electric-wire work—l candidate ; failed. Carpentry and joinery—l candidate ; passed ordinary. Free Studentships. The five free studentships offered by the Wellington Industrial Association and the six offered by the Technical Instruction Committee, all of which are available for two years, were competed for at the December examinations. The competition was keen in all sections. Library. The number of volumes contained in the library is as follows: Fine arts, 287 ; architecture and building-construction, 146 ; mechanical, 209 ; general, 500. The library, which has accommodation for readers, is open daily, and each evening from 7 to 9 o'clock. This is one of the most important departments of the school, and invaluable to all technical students and teachers. The Wellington Industrial Association have contributed three additional periodicals. Mr. R. T. Turnbull contributed forty volumes upon technical matters, and the committee of the Workingmen's Club several volumes of the Builder and Scientific American. Many valuable additions have been made by purchase at sales and by order. The whole of the periodicals are bound yearly and added to the library. The lending portion of the library has been largely availed of by the students, considerably over a thousand works having been lent during the year, in comparison with two hundred during the previous year. Victoria College Laboratories. Advantage has been taken of the College chemical and physical courses by several technical students. I have suggested the recognition of the University College by the City and Guilds of London in order that students may qualify in the laboratories of the College for certain scientific subjects, and thus be enabled to dispense with the English examinations. Public Lectures. The following lectures, open to the public, were delivered in the lecture-hall during the year, with very satisfactory attendances: " Romance of Coal-tar," Professor Easterfield; " Steam and Steam-engine," C. E. Adams; "Cookery" (two lectures), Miss Ivey. Extension of Work. The passing of the Technical Instruction Act will enable the work of the school to be pushed forward. For some considerable time we have required increased accommodation. The building erected as an addition to the school in 1899 served only to relieve the then congested condition of our class-rooms, only one-half the building being available for our purposes. There is urgent need of further accommodation, particularly so in connection with the mechanical and building classes, the electrical work, arts and craft rooms, and general class-rooms. Occasionally classes have to be placed in rooms totally unsuited to their requirements, without accommodation for appliances. The workshop now upon the Town Hall site will have to be removed for city building purposes. In many sections of work only a part of the complete course can be carried out owing to the want of workshops and class-rooms. The new Act will enable public bodies, such as the City Council and the Industrial Association, to obtain representation for their contributions. I sincerely hope that the City Council will see its way to grant the site now reserved next to the Technical School for the purpose of extension. Assistance will be rendered in accordance with the terms of the regulations towards the erection of buildings and the furnishing of the class-rooms. Assistance is also rendered towards the general upkeep and appliances, thus relieving the pressure upon the Board's funds to a very considerable extent. Resignations. The following members of the staff retired during the year: Miss Richardson, art instructor, in August; J. Campbell, sanitary science instructor, in December; G. Robinson, mathematical instructor, in December. The loss of such valuable instructors is most unfortunate, Miss Richardson and Mr. Campbell having been associated with the school for a considerable number of years.

Statement of Receipts and Expenditure. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Feeg .. .. .. .. 1,386 10 1 Salaries and refund of fees .. .. 2,337 19 8 Government capitation .. .. 426 3 1 Incidental .. .. .. .. 1, 102 1 8 £1,812 13 2 £3,440 1 4 Amount chargeable to buildings, £75 13s. 6d. Arthur D. Riley, Director.