E.—s.

EXTRACT PROM THE THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. Manual and Technical Instruction. Manual Instruction in Public and Secondary Schools. Various branches of manual instruction were taught in connection with 63 "5 per cent, of the public schools during the year. The percentages for the various Education districts were as follows : Percentage of Schools District. at which Instruction was given. Auckland ... ... ... ... ... ... .. 43 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 72 Wanpanui ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 93 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 74 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 80 Marlborough* ... ... .. ... ... ... ... 32 Nelson ... ... . ... ... ... ... ... 57 Grey ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 26 Westland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 37 North Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 68 South Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61 Otago ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 63 Southland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 97 The chief branches taken up and the number of classes were as follows:— TABLE J. —Subjects of and Number of Classes for Manual Instruction in Public Schools. Subjects of Instruction. N l^ ber of OX^ Elementary handwork .. .. .. .. .. 3,178 3,489 Woodwork .. .. .. .. .. 281 273 Ironwork .. .. ... .. .. .. .. 5 8 Agriculture and dairy-work . . .. .. .. .. 559 666 Elementary science.. . . .. .. .. . . 47 109 Physical measurements .. .. .. .. .. 101 118 Cookery .. .. .. .. .. .. ..339 308 Laundry-work .. . . .. .. .. .. 60 63 Dressmaking .. .. .. .. .. .. 79 90 Swimming and life-saving .. .. .. .. .. 136 165 Physiology and first aid .. .. .. .. 57 78 Totals .. .. .. .. 4,842 5,367 The number of public schools in which manual instruction was given was 1,330. The number of pupils receiving instruction in cookery was 5,155. The number of pupils receiving instruction in woodwork was 5,532. The number of pupils receiving instruction in agriculture was 15,159. The number of pupils receiving instruction in other branches of manual instruction was 100,772. The payments by way of capitation and subsidies on voluntary contributions were £18,343. The average rate of payment per class was £3*4. Special grants for buildings and equipment totalled £3,822. Subjects such as cookery and woodwork continue to be taught for the most part at specially equipped centres, of which there are now over sixty in operation. Many of these centres are in connection with district high schools or technical schools. The number of schools taking up elementary agriculture continues to increase. The increase for the year was 107, as compared with 61 for the previous year. In many cases, in addition to work in the school-garden, observational and experimental work is being systematically carried out, some of the results being very interesting and instructive. In several districts suitable instruction in dairy-work is also given. In nine of the thirteen education districts the work is under the general direction of special itinerant instructors. Every year sees a marked improvement in the

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