E.—s

4

for new buildings or additions, and for necessary equipment. During the year grants for these purposes amounting to over £17,000 were distributed. New buildings for manual and technical instruction have been erected, or are in course of erection at Auckland, Hamilton, CainbVidge, Otahuhu, Inglewood, Hawera, Bull's, Taihape, Palmerston North, Westport, Akaroa, Rangiora, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Gore, while necessary equipment has been provided for classes for manual and technical instruction at Hawera, Taihape, Bull's, Palmerston North, Petone, Napier, Nelson, Westport, the School of Engineering attached to the Canterbury College, the Christchurch Technical College, Akaroa, Rangiora, the Dunedin Technical School, and the manual-training centres at Christchurch and Dunedin. Apart from special centres for manual instruction in the larger towns, there are now about forty well-equipped buildings for technical classes. In 1901 when the Act came into force the number was twelve. Classes in places where special buildings were not available were held as usual in the local schools or in suitable rented buildings. The system of providing instruction in rural subcentres by means of itinerant instructors continues to work well in the districts in which it is in operation. In Auckland classes conducted on this system were held at nine, and in Wanganui at thirty-three, centres. The number of recognized technical and continuation classes in operation during the year was over 1,700, an increase of 200 ; of these, 152 were continuation classes. This latter number does not, however, include a large number of continuation classes included in approved courses of commercial instruction recognized under the regulations as courses of technical instruction. The number of centres at which classes were held was over 100. The following are some particulars relating to technical classes in operation during 1909 :— The number of places at which recognized technical classes were held was .... .... .... .... .... 110 The number of recognized classes was .... .... .... 1,702 The total number of individual students was.... .... .... 14,137 The average attendance at all classes was .... .... .... 23,070 The capitation on attendances was.... .... .... ....£18,497 12s. Bd. The rate of capitation per unit of average attendance was .... 16s. o"4d. The classes were divided as follows : —

It will be noticed that " special" classes, as last year, were the most numerous and the most widely distributed. The number of " associated" classes and the number of centres at which they are held have increased. These classes had an average attendance of 158 per class, as against 12 in the case of "special" classes. The increase (192) in the number of " associated " classes may- be regarded as an index of the continued interest taken in technical instruction by local bodies, industrial associations, and other similar organizations. " College " classes were conducted by one only, as heretofore, of the University colleges—• namely, Canterbury College, Christchurch. There are, however, indications that certain classes conducted by one or more of the other colleges will shortly be brought under the regulations. The receipts by controlling authorities and by managers of " special " and "associated" classes respectively were by way of (1) capitation, £26,071; (2)

Number of Centres. Number of Glasses. Average Attendance. Classes. 1908. 1909. 1908. 1909. 1908. 1909. 98 89 854 858 11,016 10,287 23 26 520 712 9,002 11,250 1 1 131 132 1,500 1,533 122 116 1,505 1,702 21,518 23,070 1908. ' Special" classes ' Associated" classes ' College " classes 98 23 1 Totals... 122