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tion is apparently to be a charge on the funds of this Board alone. The Board desires me to acknowledge its special indebtedness to the Inspector-General for the valuable assistance he has rendered in all difficulties which presented themselves in the establishment of the College, and thanks are due to the Thorndon School Committee, which very courteously and very readily fell in with the views of the Board. Scholarships and Secondary Education. — For Board scholarships 115 candidates entered. Eighteen scholarships were awarded to candidates from schools of over 200 pupils in average attendance ; twelve to candidates from schools of between 41 and 200 in average attendance ; and two to candidates from schools of less than 41 in average attendance. Only five candidates presented themselves from schools of the last class, which, considering the inducements offered, was a much smaller number than might reasonably be expected to compete. In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act three National Scholarships were awarded to candidates from this education district; three candidates were awarded Queen's Scholarships. Awards of all three scholarships were determined by the results of the National Scholarship examination. A prominent feature of the educational work of the year was the establishment of seven district high schools in addition to the two previously in operation at Masterton and Pahiatua, a secondary department having, with Government sanction, been added to the schools at Terrace and Newtown (Wellington), at Levin, Petone, Hutt, Carterton, and Greytown. The total district high school averages increased from 93 in 1904 to 314 in 1905. The programmes of work have, as far as possible, been designed to meet the requirements of the respective districts. In view of the great success of the Technical School day classes, of the increasing attendance at the district high schools, and of the failure or delay on the part of the Governors of the Boys' and Girls' Colleges to provide free places in these institutions for even scholarship winners, it now appears to the Board imperative that a high school should be established in Wellington under section 88 of " The Education Act, 1904." Application has already been made in the direction indicated, but the need of such a school has since then received further emphasis for the reasons mentioned above. Manual and Technical Instruction. —Capitation was earned by 110 schools in 1905 as compared with 96 in 1904. The subjects most widely taught were brushwork and plasticine modelling ; but classes were also recognised in elementary agriculture, 12 ; dressmaking, 1 ; chemistry, 2 ; first aid and ambulance, 1 ; swimming, 1 ; botany, 1 ; physics, 1 ; cookery, Wellington and Wairarapa centres. The last-mentioned subject has been satisfactorily taught by the Instructors in Wellington, and in various Wairarapa centres, from Pahiatua in the north to Featherston in the south. The work at Masterton should be conducted in much more pleasant conditions in the fine new cookery room just approaching completion; and it is hoped in time to provide, in all the growing centres of the Wairarapa, appliances more in keeping with requirements. Application has been made for a grant for a cookery room at Levin, and in the proposed new technical buildings at Petone provision will be made for instruction in cookery. Woodwork has not hitherto formed a subject of instruction in our schools, but a room now being fitted up at the Normal School will serve for pupils attending schools in the north end of the town, and the Board hopes shortly to be provided with the means to establish a woodwork and cookery centre at South Wellington. Before the close of the year the Board, in conjunction with the Technical Education Board, appointed as Instructor in Elementary Agriculture Mr. W. C. Davies, of Mauriceville West, the excellence of whose work in this department of school instruction has been widely recognised. Printed suggestions for a two-years course in nature study and agriculture, drawn up by the Inspectors and the Instructor, have been supplied to teachers, many of whom evince a keen interest in the subject. As soon as possible arrangements will be completed for the systematic instruction of teachers in Saturday classes at different centres, taking them in turn. In this, the latest of the Board's enterprises, very wide interest has been aroused outside purely educational circles. Buildings.—The spread of settlement and the largely increased attendance at existing schools rendered necessary the erection or enlargement of many of them. After production of convincing evidence of need grants were, in accordance with recent practice, authorised for the following works : For new schools at Longbush, Korora, Northland (brick), Nireaha ; for additions at Te Horo ; for additions for district high school purposes at Masterton (brick), Carterton (brick), Petone, Pahiatua (partly brick) ; for erection of old Horowhenua School and at Kereru ; for re-erection of schools destroyed by fire at Hukanui and South Wellington. In rebuilding the South Wellington School improved construction and arrangement of rooms are introduced. Government grants were supplemented by considerable sums from the Board funds for purposes of reconstruction at Shannon and Carterton. A new school was erected at Akatarawa from a grant previously received. In the expenditure of the maintenance of buildings grant the efforts of the Board were steadily directed to placing in thorough repair as many of the schools and residences as means at disposal would permit, these works being undertaken in order of time; and to improving the latrine accommodation at fourteen schools. The receipts for buildings maintenance were £3,073 155., the disbursements £3,002 12s. 6d. Finance. —The total receipts and expenditures of the Board for all purposes are classified under the following headings : — Receipts. Expenditures. £ s. d. £ s. d. Balance 31st December, 1904.. .. .. 278 2 0 Administration .. .. .. .. 9,216 9 11 8,443 3 10 Buildings .. .. .. .. .. 10,563 10 5 11,815 1 8 Secondary (including scholarships) .. .. 3,514 10 4 3,578 13 11 Manual and technical (school classes) .. .. 1,287 2 10 1,079 6 11 Teachers' salaries .. .. .. .. 46,082 2 1 46,014 19 2 Technical School .. .. .. .. 4,527 5 1 4,703 17 3 Deposits .. .. .. .. 420 19 6 300 15 9 Balance, 31st December, 1905 .. .. 45 16 4 £75,935 18 6 £75,935 18 6