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the gardening-hour. In this branch of school work an immense amount of good has l>een done by several of the Horticultural Societies. The interest which these societies create by offering prizes for the best-kept gardens and the best garden-produce cannot fail to impress children as well with the best methods of work as with the beauty and bounty of nature. During the year an important change in the method of distributing material was decided upon. Instead of forwarding this material through local tradesmen, as was done previously, the Board decided to stock its own supplies at the office, whence teachers will in future receive what they require. Mr. P. H. Bell, of the office staff, has been appointed clerk of the manual and technical department, and he will take charge of the distribution of all material. In October an exhibition of manual and technical work was held at Palmerston North. The work displayed, especially the plasticine-modelling, the brushwork, and the design, was distinctly in advance of the previous exhibition. The cardboard-modelling exhibit was rather disappointing both as regards quantity and quality, but now that teachers' central training classes are being organized under Mr. E. H. Clark a decided improvement should be made. My sincere thanks are due to the local teachers, who, with Messrs. Clark, Grant, and Bell, worked together splendidly and brought the exhibition to so successful an issue. The increase in the number of woodwork and cookery classes has necessitated the employment of second instructors, Mr. Bannister, of Wellington, and Miss Fergus, of Dunedin, having been appointed. During 1906 the average attendance at the woodwork classes was 299, and that at the cookery classes 253, exclusive of the Palmerston North High School. Both Miss Mollison and Mr. Clark, who succeeded Mr. Ritchings Grant, have been most enthusiastic in the conduct of their classes, and some excellent work has resulted. We desire to place on record our appreciation of the work done by Miss Mollison and Messrs. Varney, Grant, and Clark, whom we have found at all times willing to co-operate with us in furthering the cause of education; and to Miss Fergus, Mr. Hintz, and Mr. Bannister, who have just joined the Board's staff of instructors, we desire to extend a cordial welcome. Extract from the Report of the Superintendent of Technical Instruction. For the purposes of manual and technical instruction the entire district has been divided into three parts —Central, Northern, and Southern. Each of these is under the direction of a Supervisor. Mr. Varney, Director of Manual and Technical Instruction in Public Schools, and Director of the Technical School, Wanganui, takes charge of the Central District; Mr. Amos, Director of the Technical School, Feilding, takes the Southern District; and Mr. Hintz, Director of the Hawera Technical School, takes the Northern. Acting in conjunction with, and by the advice of, these Supervisors, head teachers or accredited assistants take charge of local technical schools or classes. This method of organization has been adopted by the Board with a view to the speedy extension of the benefits of technical instruction to every part of the district. A committee, composed partly of professional and partly of business men, controls each technical school, and it is to the knowledge and experience which these gentlemen bring to bear on the problems that confront them, as well as to their devotion to the cause of technical training, that the movement has made such rapid strides in the district. In selecting special instructors the Board has been actuated by a desire to promote the development of the chief industries of the district; hence a specialist, Mr. Grant, has been appointed to attend to agricultural training in schools, and another, Mr. Browne, to perform a similar service for dairying. There are two instructors in woodwork, Mr. Clark, principal instructor, taking the Central and Northern Districts, and Mr. Bannister, second instructor, the Southern District. In cookery there are also two instructors, Miss Mollison taking the Central and Northern Districts, and Miss Fergus the Southern. A great proportion of the boys and girls of the district will accordingly leave school impressed not merely with the value of books as a means of education, but also with the worth and dignity of manual and household occupations. It will be seen from the reports that the instruction given at the technical schools and classes falls under four chief divisions —(1) artisan classes, (2) commercial classes, (3) domestic economy classes, and (4) professional classes. Admision to these classes is free to all pupils gaining the proficiency certificate. It would be difficult to estimate the educational value of these classes to the country. To bring the primary and technical schools into yet closer relationship is, at present, one of the opportunities, as it should be one of the privileges, of all who have the cause of education at heart. I am glad to be able to bear testimony to the generous attitude towards technical training taken by School Committees and Town and County Councils. The manner in which not a few of these bodies have seconded the efforts of the Board is proof alike of their public spirit and of their ability to read accurately the signs of the times. Geo. D. Braik, Superintendent. Extract from the Report of the Director of the Wanganui Technical School. /. Northern District. —Eltham: Owing to the energy and enthusiasm of Mr. Thomas very successful classes were held during the two terms, May to December. Difficulty was experienced in accommodating adult students in the primary school; yet, notwithstanding this, one and all worked well and creditably. English, arithmetic, book-keeping, shorthand, dressmaking, millinery photography, magnetism, and electricity were taken. The erection of science, woodwork, and cookery rooms will supply a long-felt want in the locality. Mangatoki: Although a small township, classes in book-keeping, dressmaking, English, and arithmetic were satisfactorily conducted Now that the Board has a dairying instructor available, dairying science should prove a popular subject in this and other dairying centres. Hawera: The results here have been somewhat disappointing, due in no small measure to the lack of a central building. A fair amount of success attended the Latin, chemistry, English, arithmetic, book-keeping, and painting