E.—s

36

In thirty-nine of the public schools of the district, including nearly all the larger schools, handwork has been taught in one or other of its many forms. A buildiug for technical-school purposes has been erected at Wakefield, and the technical classes, which during the past year have been held at great inconvenience in the kitchen of the teachers' house and in the old school building, will be transferred to the new school on the reassembling of the pupils after the hop-picking holidays. Technical School and School of Mines for Westport. —The Board has again to express its regret that uc progress has been made during the year in this matter, but it is hoped that after the recent interview with the Minister of Mines, the committee of the School of Mines, and a representative of the Education Department, some definite decision will be arrived at. Westport is an important centre, and one in which such a combined institution should prove of incalculable value. It is only fair to record the fact that every endeavour has been made by the Board to accelerate the progress of this work. Agricultural Instruction. —In conjunction with the neighbouring Education Boards of Marlborough, Grey, and Westland, an instructor in agriculture has been appointed in the person of Mr. James Bruce, lately of the Dunedin Technical School, and it is expected that this important subject will now be taken up with interest in most of the schools of these education districts. The instructor informs the Board that the institution of a chemical laboratory is an essential to the carrying-on of his work, and application for a grant for the building has been made. Extract from the Eeport of the Inspectors of Schools. Handwork. —Some form of handwork has been undertaken in 40 schools. Included in this number are all the schools in each of which two teachers are employed, and 8 under sole teachers, who as a class have shown commendable zeal in attempting one or more of the additional subjects. The treatment was considered satisfactory in 35 of these, and good in 9. In 34 schools the courses chosen embraced modelling in plasticine, brush drawing, elementary design and colour-work, brick-laying, stick-laying, paper-folding, or modelling in carton. In 14 schools (two more than last year) swimming and life-saving are taught, and in 15 elementary physiology and first aid. The former might well be more general, and more attention should be given by lady teachers to the instruction of the girls. The bulk of the twenty lessons required could be easily got in by giving a half-hour lesson every afternoon during the first month of the school year, thus leaving but few to complete in November or December. A circular from the Department, dated the Bth November, calls attention to the urgent need for more general instruction, and we hope that the appeal will not be in vain. One form of encouragement given by the headmaster of the Nelson Boys' School is well worthy of imitation. He has of late years made a practice of bestowing upon each swimmer among his pupils a certificate stating the distance — 25 yards, 50 yards, 100 yards, &c. —that the recipient can swim. Elementary Agriculture, formerly cottage-gardening, has been attempted at five schools. Under the supervision and direction of the newly appointed instructor in agriculture we expect to see considerable extension and development under this head. All the above-mentioned classes are conducted by school-teachers. Girls' school classes in cookery and dressmaking were conducted in Nelson, Westport, Reefton, Richmond, and Wakefield by special teachers who are not on the permanent staff. Classes for boys in woodwork have been similarly conducted at Nelson and Reefton. In expectation of botany and agricultural chemistry classes being formed, classes for the instruction of teachers in Nelson were limited to freehand, model, blackboard, and brush drawing, elementary physics and chemistry, and woodwork. A technical school has been established at Wakefield, and there, or at Nelson or Reefton, manual and technical classes —that is, classes which are not confined to school-children—were held for instruction in wood-carving, mechanical drawing, woodwork, dressmaking, painting, architectural drawing, drawing from casts, modelling, plumbing, cookery, mathematics, and a commercial course (shorthand, book-keeping, and typewriting). Continuation classes, which, as the name implies, are intended to enable children who have just left school to continue their studies in school subjects, of a Standard V or higher character, have been held in Nelson for arithmetic, English, book-keeping, French, and shorthand. The public-school teachers are best qualified for work of this character, and that they have not undertaken it more generally may be due to lack of enterprise or a disinclination to tax their spare time. In fifteen schools, conducted by male sole teachers, needlework has been taught as a subject of manual and technical instruction. Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 81st December, 1906, in respect of Special Classes conducted at the Nelson Technical School. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Capitation on special classes .. .. 186 7 7 Balance at beginning of year .. .. 465 5 9 Capitation on account of free places .. 13 11 0 Salaries of instructors .. .. .. 401 8 5 Buildings .. .. .. 61 6 8 Office expenses (including salaries, stationery, Furniture, fittings, apparatus .. .. 282 15 5 &c.) .. .. .. .. .. 14 10 0 Material .. .. .. 29 9 5 Advertising and printing .. .. .. 76 10 Voluntary contributions .. .. .. 185 0 5 Lighting and heating .. .. .. 25 8 7 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 259 11 4 Insurance and repairs .. .. .. 13 6 Examinations, &o. .. .. .. 0 211 Material for olass use .. .. .. 36 10 9 Typewriter and sundries .. .. .. 18 17 6 Buildings .. .. .. .. 16 1 3 Furniture, fittings, apparatus .. .. 31 6 4 £1,018 1 10 £1,018~1~7u S. Ellis, Secretary.