E.—2.

48

alone. The Board believes that somewhat has been gained in each of the three directions. The question of compulsion has also occupied the Board's attention, and the conviction is growing that in the larger towns, at any rate, some form of judicious compulsion will be found necessary. The best of the pupils do not require any other inducement than suitable classes and efficient instructors, but the interests of the great majority must be considered—the victims of ignorance, apathy, and selfishness concerning whom an English nobleman recently wrote : " Between the period of a child's life, during which the State spends immense sums upon his education, and the time when these children take up their positions as adults in the life of the State, there yawns a chasm in which much of that gained with great labour and at great expense —knowledge discipline, health, character —is lost." The Board is aware that the question of compulsion may be complicated by the introduction of a system of compulsory military training, but it is assured that it is not beyond the wisdom of the Legislature to see that our young people shall become not one-sided, but all-round citizens. Since the Board submitted its last annual report the new technical school at Hawera was opened by the Minister of Education on the 27th July. The people of Hunterville have, at their own cost, with the aid of the statutory subsidy, erected a building for the purposes of technical instruction, and the residents of Pohangina are at the present time pursuing a like desirable end. In administrating the schools the Board lias had great difficulty in making both ends meet on the allowance made by the Department. Indeed, if there were no other sources of revenue, our schools would speedily become insolvent, as it takes all fees and capitation grants to pay the instructors' salaries, leaving nothing for maintenance. Fortunately, local bodies and private citizens have responded nobly to the calls made on them for assistance, from one end of the district to the other, and the schools as a whole are paying their way. The Board feels that the Department should make an allowance for supervision and maintenance of technical schools, as it is ridiculous to compel it to rely on voluntary assistance for departmental charges. The system of government of the three districts into which the education district has been divided is working satisfactorily, and it is found that it answers the twofold purpose of giving local control and arousing interest and enthusiasm amongst those immediately benefited, while the contributions from year to year from local bodies and private individuals must constitute a record for the Dominion. The phenomenal success of the wool-classing instruction, by Mr. J. T. Cahill. has proved to farmers that there is immediate money value in technical education. A large number of instances are available where exceptionally good prices have been obtained from the sale of wool classed by his pupils, and it is to be hoped that this object-lesson will prove effective in breaking down prejudices against systematic instruction in rural occupations. The demand for classes is so general that the Board has been compelled to appoint a second instructor, and Mr. T. McGregor, of Napier, has been selected by the committee of stud-sheep breeders, who were responsible for the appointment of Mr. Cahill—viz., Messrs. G. C. Wheeler, of Stanway, E. Short, of Waituna. and J. Knight, of Makino. The Board is indebted to hese gentlemen for the trouble they have taken in the matter aikd ilso to those farmers all over the district who have placed their woolsheds at the disposal of the inst uctor and contributed fleeces for the use of the pupils. Agriculture and Dairy-work.—Much interest continues to be taken in these branches of instruction both by the pupils and the parents. At the Manawatu Agricultural and Pastoral Association Show a large number of our pupils entered for the milk-testing competition, and one —an Ashhurst pupil —obtained the pride of place by securing from the Agricultural Department's experts, as examiners, a total of 98 per cent, of marks. In many cases children taught in our primary schools are intrusted with the duty of checking the value of milk-production by individual cows, and the results are utilized in selecting or rejecting profitable or unprofitable cows in a herd. The Manawatu Agricultural and Pastoral Association devotes much attention to the primary-school phases of agricultural training. The Feilding Agricultural and Pastoral Association give annually prizes for the best school gardens in their district, and the judges in awarding the first three prizes to Colyton, 170 marks (out (if a possible total of 200) ; Halcombe, 156 ; and Cheltenham, 150 marks, say, inter alia, " The results form, in our opinion, a striking example of what may be accomplished by persistent effort, and suggest the possibilities of intensive cultivation." At one school (Cheltenham) special prizes were given for home gardens kept by school-children, and the competition proved the genuineness of the instruction given at the school. The Wanganui Horticultural Society also fosters school gardens by giving prizes liberal in number and value for the products of school gardens, while the Feilding Horticultural Society has followed suit. In addition, numbers of vegetables are entered at the various shows in open competition, and our schools are well able to hold their own. Physical Training.—At the close of the year it was determined that the district should adopt Dovey's " Manual of Physical Exercises "in all schools. In recent years too little attention has been given to free exercises and manual exercises as apait from breathing exercises. The Board believes that the last-mentioned form of exercise is indispensable, but, by itself, inadequate. The Inspectors report that military drill is well taught in schools, in which, according to statute, it must be taken. Swimming.—ln many of the schools classes are taken to the public baths by teachers for swimming instruction, while at the Wanganui District High School and the Sedgebrook School swimming-baths have been erected by public subscription, and are fully made use of. Arbor Day.—Arbor Day was celebrated throughout the district on Wednesday, 21st July. A circular was forwarded to School Committees and teachers asking that something like the following programme should be adopted on the day : — " In view of the important lessons which the occasion may be made the means of teaching, the Board has resolved that Arbor Day, Wednesday, 21st July, shall be fitly celebrated at the schools. Committees will doubtless make such arrangements as will suit local circumstances, hut the Board believes that some such programme as the following will prove generally acceptable : " (1.) Assembly, National Anthem, saluting the flag. (2.) Addresses by the Chairman of Committee and others,