27

.E:—s

in the number of students. A local examination was held in March, 1904, when several candidates secured passes. Three students also sat for the City and Guilds of London Examination in May, 1904." Evening Woodwork Class. —An evening class for woodwork was commenced early in the year, attended by thirty-two students. The attendance, however, fell off after a time owing to the disinclination on the part of many of the students to follow a set course of instruction. It is proposed in future only to give instruction in this class to boys from the town schools. Painters and Decorators' Class. —This class was attended by twenty students, mostly local tradesmen. The course included instruction in marbling and graining. The class was well attended during the winter months. Dressmaking, Building Construction, Botany. —Classes in these subjects were also held under special instructors, but the attendance was not altogether, satisfactory. In a town the size of Napier it is to be expected that the attendances at classes for subjects that bear only upon one special trade or industry will fluctuate considerably. The classes likely to be well supported are those that meet the general needs of the district, and it is in connection with these classes that a considerable extension of the work is to be hoped for. R. N. Anderson, Director. Extract prom the Report on Technical Classes at Dannevirke. Commercial Classes. —During the first quarter shorthand and book-keeping were taught. Twentyfive students were enrolled, the attendance on the whole being satisfactory. Later in the year a class for typewriting was established, which was continued till the end of the year, in order to carry out a full commercial course as originally intended. The attendance at this class was not so good as it wonld have been had the class commenced work earlier in the year. Plumbing Class. —This class was commenced in October, and was well attended. Instruction is given on one night a week, one hour being given to theory, and two hours to practice. The students are making satisfactory progress, and in due course arrangements will be made for an examination. A matter that deserves the favourable consideration of the Education Department is that of granting free passes, or reduced railway fares, to students desirous of attending technical classes in the country centres. The cost of travelling to attend classes is usually more than many can afford, thus the utility of technical classes in country centres is much restricted under prevailing conditions. exteact from the report on technical classes conducted by the glsborne hlgh school Board of Governors. Classes were held during the year in dressmaking, shorthand, book-keeping, mechanical.drawing, mathematics, and English. The average attendance at all classes was eighty-eight, the classes for commercial subjects attracting the greater number of students. The receipts for the year were £136 Bs. 6d., the expenditure was £126 Bs. 10d., leaving a balance of £9 19s. Bd.

NELSON. Extract from the Report of the Board of Education. Manual and Technical Instruction. —Handwork of various kinds has been taught at twenty-four of the Board's schools during the year, modelling in plasticine still being the subject most favoured by the teachers. Cookery classes have been held in Nelson under the management of Miss M. Tendall (diplomee of the National Training-school of Cookery, London) ; but they have been carried on at a loss, and it is doubtful whether they can be resumed in 1904 unless the grant of 15s. a head be continued. A technical school, containing two rooms, one for woodwork and one for cookery, has been erected at Reefton, and arrangements are already made for the teaching of cookery, and it is expected that woodwork classes will be begun very shortly. The site for the building was purchased by a grant from the Inangahua County Council. A very excellent and valuable site for a technical school has been presented to the Board by the Nelson City Council, and it is expected that the new building will be erected, and, it is hoped, ready for use before winter. Efforts have been made to secure a site for a technical school in Westport, and the Board regrets that the Westport Borough Council has not yet seen its way to present one to the Board. Extract from the the Report of the Inspectors of Schools. Handwork. —Sixteen of the schools taking up branches of handwork were classified as:'ranging from satisfactory to excellent, and four as fair. Although nine schools have during the year been added to the list of those giving instruction in manual work, the teachers generally have not shown remarkable enterprise in this direction. Many have been awaiting such reduction of the subjects of th« syllabus as would enable them to make fresh departures. In at least all schools above Grade 6 the junior classes should take up some branch of handwork. In the higher classes (S. 3-7) one hour a week is now sufficient to earn capitation. The subjects undertaken in the schools by the permanent staff include modelling in plasticine, bricklaying, paper-folding, and free-arm drawing. Outside instructors have carried on classes in cookery at Toitoi Valley, and dressmaking at Westport. Sewing has been recognised as a technical subject in ten schools where there are sole male teachers, thus enabling sewing-mistresses to be employed. The claims made for capitation in connection with school classes amount to £236 13s. 5d.,