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model, and light and shade diawing, cookery, and ironwork. At Takaka and Motueka short sessions for physical measurement and agriculture were held. The discontinuance of the free-railway-pass system notified during the last term of the year may seriously handicap the working of these classes and injuriously affect the training of country teachers. The technical department has progressed. New classes in mechanical drawing, building construction, ironwork, and wool-sorting nave been inaugurated, and in addition to other technical and continuation classes, have been successfully earned on. the dressmaking in particular being exceedingly popular. A day class for ironwork students was opened at Westport, and another for trade students is about to commence operations in Nelson. The instructor of agriculture at four different centres held classes in practical agriculture for farmers. We notice that at a, recent conference of fruit-growers the delegates from this district spoke in high appreciation of the instruction so given. In a circular recently issued the Department sketched an admirable scheme of agricultural work for the instruction of the pupils of the secondary classes in rural district high schools. Practical difficulties have so far prevented the adoption of it in its entirety. Only two of our high schools are in agricultural centres ; the difficulty of communication between them is too great to admit of their being economically worked by one instructor; the want of cookery and woodwork rooms and equipment makes it impossible to take two of the essential subjects. The work throughout has been enthusiastically undertaken, and development made in the number of classes and students, as well as in variety of subjects of instruction. It should now be the principal aim of the management to bestow as efficient a. training as possible upon the students and to insure the continuance of the system by such close attention to the details of the working of a. somewhat complex department as will enable it to lie most economically administered by the Board. The following table containing a summary of the opinions we have expressed in our inspection reports shows that during the year the schools have gained in efficiency : — Good to excellent .. .. . . .. .. 1] Good .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 ... . Satisfactory to good 25 - 89 efficient. Satisfactory .. .. .. .. .. ..38' Fair to satisfactory .. .. .. .. 10) Fair .. .. .. .. .. .. s!■ 16 non-efficient. Moderate .. .. .. .. .. .. l) The proportion of efficient schools hus increased, ; id the numb< c especially commended for good wurk is higher than any we have previously recorded, so that we can congratulate the Board upon the very satisfactory nature of the instruction generally imparted in the schools of the district, and upon a, year of progress in many phases of scholastic life. The success of a pupil from Reefton District High School in gaining the highest place in the Dominion in the recent Junior National Scholarship examination is gratifying, as it affords an indication that the highest products of the primary schools of Nelson do not suffer in comparison with those of other educational districts. We have, &c., (!. A. Habkness, M.A.> , A. Cbawfoed, B.A. , Waters. The Chairman. Education Board, Nelson.

(J REV. Sir, — Education Office, Greymouth, 9th February, L9lO. 1 have the honour to present my report for the year ended 81s1 December. 1909. Two new schools were opened during the year, one at Kaimata and one at Jack's Mill. The school at Kaimata opened too late in the year to be included in my examination visits. A new school has also been built at Roa, and will be ready for opening when schools resume. The following summary shows the classes, numbers, and average ages of the pupils in attendance :—

Classes. Number on Roll. Present at the Average Age Annual of Pupils Examination, in each Class. itandard VII . VI . V IV „ III II . I 'reparatory 37 147 157 184 188 201 218 808 Yrs. mos. 31 14 10 144 13 8 155 13 0 184 11 11 185 11 3 197 10 0 209 9 1 781 7 0 Totals ... 1,940 1,886 11 4* 1,886 11 4 ::; * Mean of avera; ;e em !e.