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matter until the schools close, about the middle of December. For each year there are 168 pages in each of Parts I and 11, and 336 pages in Part 111. Public schools, Native schools, and special schools (such as industrial schools) are supplied with copies free, and an increasing number of private and secondary schools purchase copies at the rate of |d. per copy for Part I, and Id. per copy for each of Parts II and 111. The monthly free distribution to children is—Part I, 37,163 ; Part 11, 36,885 ; Part 111, 29,718. The sales during the year 1909 are at the rate of 16,780 per annum for all parts. The public schools are supplied with sufficient copies to provide for every child on the rolls of the various classes one copy of the appropriate Part of the Journal, Part I, 11, or 111, as the case may be. Although the Journal aims primarily at being instructive rather than recreative, there is ample evidence from the Inspectors and teachers that its appearance each month is welcomed by the children, and that its influence tends to the very desirable end of fostering the habit and the love of reading. It differs from most of the miscellaneous Readers in that, being composed largely of articles belonging to welldefined series of courses, it preserves a continuity absent from ordinary readers. These courses deal with the .history and geography of New Zealand, of the rest of the British Empire, and foreign countries, from the point of view of the human interests involved, so far as these appeal to a child's mind ; with nature-knowledge of various kinds—the object being to extend what the pupils have learnt by their own observation, not to give information as a substitute for actual observation ; with practical matters of hygiene ; with civics and moral instruction ; and with current topics, such as Antarctic exploration, Empire Day, Arbor Day, and so forth. It is believed that these subjects are so presented as to cultivate the imagination as well as to arouse thought. The Journal is regularly illustrated ; but, in addition to the illustrations contained in its pages, pictures and prints illustrating history, geography, and nature-study are being issued separately on cards, as aids to oral instruction on modern lines in these subjects. Up to the present—August, 1909—the following series have appeared : Twenty-four pictures illustrating great British battles, thirtytwo illustrations of New Zealand flora, eight of New Zealand geography, and sixteen of the geography of the British Isles; also a coloured wall-sheet illustrating the lives of Lord Nelson and Captain Cook. Further reference to the Journal is made in There are also in preparation similar pictures—namely, sixteen illustrations of glaciers, eight of New Zealand flora, eight of harbours in New Zealand, four depicting incidents in the life of Captain Cook, and four dealing similarly with the life of Nelson. ■. Several publications of educational value were placed at the disposal ol the Department, and so far as the number of copies permitted and the nature of each work warranted these were distributed to Special schools, Native schools, District high schools, Secondary schools, the larger Technical schools, Training colleges, and University colleges. In this way the following publications were distributed: "Animals of New Zealand," Hudson's "Entomology." "New Zealand Neuroptera, Colenso's "Lexicon," Tregear's "Maori Race," and Thomson's "New Zealand Naturalist's Calendar." Among other publications of general interest that have been issued by the Department during the past year may be mentioned the Inspector - General's "Report on Educational Institutions in Europe and America"; the "Manual of Physical Drill"; and the "Outline of a Scheme for Teaching Hygiene and Temperance" (reprint). The following are in preparation, and will appear shortly: "A Manual of New Zealand Mollusca," by H. Suter ; "New Zealand Plants and their Story "by Dr. L. Cockayne ; " Geology of New Zealand," by Dr. P. Marshall; " Industrial Education a Phase of the Problem of Universal Education," by Dr. Davenport (reprint), of Illinois College of Agriculture, Urbana ; New Zealand Flora plates, being published in connection with Cheeseman's " Manual of New Zealand Flora. f\ The departmental library contains a large number of educational books and papers, most of which are;>vailable on loan for Inspectors, primary or secondary teachers, and others interestedjn education. 2-E, 1.

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