E.—s

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to include both these necessary subjects, and also such important subjects as anatomy, historic ornament, principles of ornament, perspective, and geometry for art students. Teachers' Saturday Morning Classes. —These classes have been very largely attended, the subjects of instruction being nature-drawing, and common-object drawing on blackboards, brushwork, and elementary modelling, light and shade, and painting for those who have been through the elementary courses. The courses of instruction fulfil the requirements for drawing for the D certificate. A class for teachers in the Wairarapa district was formed at Masterton, the instructors going up weekly from Wellington, so that the courses might be conducted on the same lines as in the Wellington Technical School. Engineering Section. —Courses in mechanical drawing, machine-design, and applied mechanics have been successfully carried on, in spite of the unpreparedness of many of the students for any higher work. The classes in experimental mechanics have been greatly handicapped by lack of special accommodation and suitable apparatus for the use of students themselves. The full benefit of a course in practical mechanics can only, I think, be secured when each student separately 'makes for himself not only the experiment, but also the analysis of his observations and the deductions to be drawn from them. The school at present possesses no laboratory in which the students may carry out work of this character. The lack of engineering workshops has also militated against the complete training of students in the science of engineering, besides preventing the use of home-made apparatus, suited to the special necessities of the school. The lack of preliminary training in mathematics and natural philosophy has in all the engineering classes handicapped the students and increased the difficulties of the teachers very considerably. A class in practical mathematics designed to remedy this evil in part has met with considerable success, and should become an important feature of the courses. Elementary classes in applied mechanics and strength of material, which are to be established in 1905 on a sounder basis, should do much to remove the disadvantages under which students of mechanical and electrical engineering at present labour. With the erection and equipment of suitable workshops and laboratories, with the preparation of boys from the primary schools during two or three years before apprenticeship, with the growth of the institution, and the rearrangement of courses in mechanical and electrical engineering, the defects and difficulties of the present position should be overcome in the course of a few years, and students of the school will then be able to obtain at least a solid foundation on which to build their knowledge of engineering science, lv electric light and power distribution classes have been conducted during the year, but the lack of necessary laboratory and workshop accommodation and equipment has greatly hampered the work of students. The work of this class was under the charge of Mr. S. Richardson, M.1.E.E., until the middle of the second quarter, when Mr. Richardson resigned and the Director took over the work. The surveying class was carried on efficiently by Mr. Walter Robinson during the year, but the number of students was very small. Architectural Section. —Mr. Charles Lawreuce continued to instruct the classes in buildingconstruction, and with the improved furniture granted by the Department the classes have been in a much better position than in previous years, and have done some excellent work. The classes in carpentry and joinery have been well attended, and the work done has been satisfactory. Lectures in theory were added to the syllabus during the year. Mr. Alexander Graham conducted these classes with energy and success. In plumbing, theory and practice, the work was carried on by Mr. G. Reed, assisted by Mr. Wells. Both Mr. Reed and his assistant appear to be thoroughly competent teachers, and the work done has been good. New workshop accommodation is, however, urgently required, the present building being unsuitable and insanitary. The standard of the local examination has been maintained at a very high level. General and Commercial Classes. —Mathematics: The classes in pure mathematics have been fairly well attended and have been successful. Mr. A. C. Gifford has conducted these classes throughout the year. In accordance with the movement in the direction of making the courses in geometry and algebra bear more directly on one another, modifications have been introduced into the teaching during the year, with good results. Book-keeping: The teaching in this subject has been most efficiently carried on during the year by Mr. T. K. Clarke, who has spared no pains to make the class a success. These book-keeping classes are undoubtedly meeting a decided want in the town, and the successes of students, both in examination and also in business, have been very gratifying. In the shorthand and typewriting classes excellent work has been done by Miss Williams, both in the day and evening classes. Students completing their course have no difficulty in obtaining positions in business houses in the town. Students in the day classes have a- considerable amount of practice in office-work, and in business letters, &c. Arithmetic: This class, under Mr. Martyn Renner, has done good work, and has been fairly well attended. Latin and English: These classes, under Mr. Renner, have shown good results in the Junior and Senior Civil Service Examinations. French: The absence of a steady demand for instruction in French, and the difficulty of obtaining satisfactory tuition prevented the class from being a success during the year. Tailor's Cutting: A class of tailor's cutting was established in the last quarter of the year. Various circumstances prevented the attendance being large, but the class gives promise of being a successful one, and appears to meet a want in the town. The classes have been under the care of Mr. D. Morrison, who has excellent qualifications. Both the master tailors and the journeymen tailors appear to be well satisfied with the establishment of the class. Dress-cutting and Dressmaking: Classes in these subjects were established in the last quarter of the year under Miss E. Forbes, whose system of teaching seems to be well adapted for technicalschool work. The attendance was satisfactory, and will probably largely increase when suitable accommodation can be provided. General.- -In regard to the classes generally, a certain amount of reorganization appeared to be necessary in order to bring the school more into line with modern developments, especially