E.—6

1905. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: MANUAL AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION. [In continuation of E.-5, 1904.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. EXTEACT FEOM THE TWENTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL BEPOBT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. A BEViEw of the year's work shows that considerable progress has been made by controlling authorities throughout the colony in the direction of improving existing arrangements and providing additional facilities for instruction in subjects of technology and of manual training. There is now no education district in which some provision, more or less adequate, has not been made for such instruction, and there are indications that in those districts in which the movement is most recent the local authorities interested in the matter will have no reason to regard their efforts as other than encouraging. Where it has been found that there was a well-grounded demand for instruction, the Government has provided the necessary funds for the equipment and maintenance of classes, as well as for buildings where the circumstances rendered special accommodation necessary. In many cases, local bodies and others have shown their interest in the work in a practical manner by contributing to the funds of the classes. Coincident with this evidence of local effort is an increase in the number of associated classes, that is to say, classes for technical instruction conducted in conjunction with the controlling authority by managers representing the various contributing bodies. There is little reason to fear that classes established on these lines are likely to prove other than successful. The number of technical, continuation, and school classes recognised during 1904 was 2,599, as against 2,287 for the previous year. Of the classes for 1904, 2,001 were classes for handwork in connection with over 700 primary and secondary schools, while 598 were special, associated, or college classes for instruction in the several branches of pure and applied art and science, and in plumbing, carpentry and joinery, cookery, dressmaking, and commercial subjects. While the actual number of technical classes was not greatly in advance of that for 1903, the returns show a great increase in the average attendance at them. For 1903 the average attendance was about 6,300, and for 1904 about 13,700. Technical classes are held at about fifty different places. In many of the public schools all the standards received instruction in some one or other of the branches of handwork. In several districts arrangements have been made whereby the older pupils in the city and suburban schools receive instruction in woodwork and cookery. During the year, 156 cookery classes and 129 woodwork classes were in operation, while, at the technological examinations of the City and Guilds of London Institute, 102 public-school teachers passed the examina-

I—E. 5.