E.—2.

Appendix A.

is lost before they return to school. Unfortunately, some employers appear to be indifferent in this respect, and readily take advantage of the labour offering, without regard to the welfare of the children. It should not be a difficult matter for the Legislature to devise means to prevent the employment of those children who, being under fourteen years of age, have not passed the Sixth Standard. Manual and Technical Instruction. —The report of the Director of Manual Training* on the classes attended by pupils from Christchurch and surrounding schools is appended, as are also the reports from the several outlying centres. As information regarding the subjects of instruction and the number of pupils in attendance is presented in detail in these reports, it is unnecessary to recapitulate the facts at an\ length. The average attendance of pupils at the Christchurch centres has increased from 772 to 832 in the case of woodwork, and from 778 to 829 in cookery, while in laundry-work the numbers have been more than maintained. The new centre at Sydenham has greatly facilitated the arrangement of classes —a matter previously of great difficulty—and made it possible to extend the benefits of manual training to schools outside the immediate district. The establishment of an additional up-to-date centre in the east of the city is urgently needed in order to provide for the large schools in or adjacent to that locality, whose pupils at present are accommodated in an unsuitable building at the Normal School. From a perusal of the report of the Director of the Christchurch Technical College,* which is also appended, it will be seen that the steady growth shown during recent years has been maintained, provision having been made for instruction in a large number of subjects. The additional accommodation available has contributed greatly to the convenient working of the institution, which is deservedly well supported by the several public bodies, as well as by trade organizations representative of many important industries. The Board notes that the public examinations held in connexion yvith the City and Guilds of London Institute are regarded as unsuitable, and that in future, so far as some subjects are concerned, no special provision will be made for the students to prepare for such examination. The Board would draw the Minister's attention to the hope expressed in the report that the Department will itself eventually carry out the necessary examinations in New Zealand. In reviewing the work done at the several country centres it is convenient to include reference to technical classes, the two forms of training'—manual and technical—being closely associated in the Committees' reports. At Ashburton a very satisfactory development has taken place under the supervision of Mr. A. Moore, the new Director. Not only has there been a considerable increase in the roll numbers of the several classes, but new subjects of instruction have been added. This improvement is due in a large measure to the completion of the new Technical School building, whereby the management is enabled to offer much greater facilities than had been possible in the past. At Kaiapoi, too, the scope of the work has been enlarged, and classes placed on a more satisfactory footing—again the natural result of the improved conditions obtaining, owing to the locality now having a commodious and well-appointed Technical School building. At Rangiora, as indicated in the Board's previous report, the control of manual and technical classes has been transferred from the Board of Managers to the Rangiora High School Board, except that as regards the supervision of school classes the local Committee act for the Education Board. At some of the smaller centres some diminution in the interest previously evinced in the work appears to have taken place. This is a matter for regret; and the Board trusts that as the true value of technical training becomes more generally recognized, the interest taken in the subject when classes were first established will be revived, and that the authorities to whom the work has been intrusted will not rest content until every facility is given for young people to obtain instruction in some at least of the subjects comprising vocational education. The number of classes in some form of handwork and in swimming and life-saving is approximately the same as in the previous year—-viz., ninety-nine and fifty-seven respectively, as compared yvith ninety-six and fifty-five in 1911. A still further increase is shown in the number of classes in elementary agriculture, there being no fewer than 128 schools at which this work is now carried on, under the fostering care and supervision of the chief instructor, Mr. T. G. Malcolm, and his assistant. Personal. —Fallowing on Mr. T. S. Foster's acceptance of the position of Principal of the Christchurch Training College (referred to elsewhere), the Board appointed Mr. W. Brock its Chief Inspector. The vacancy on the Inspectorate was filled by the appointment of Mr. J. B. Mayne, headmaster of the Sydenham School. During the year the Board lost the active services of its Treasurer and Chief Clerk, Mr. C. Allard, whose engagement, however, did not terminate until the 31st January of the present year, on completion of forty years' faithful service, on which the Board desires to offer its congratulations, while at the same time expressing its regret that illness should have overtaken Mr. Allard towards the close of his long connexion with the Board. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. Wellington. Hugh Boyd, Chairman.

SOUTH CANTERBURY. Sir, — Education Office, Timaru, 1st April, 1913. 1 have the honour, in accordance with the provisions of section 174 of the Education Act, 1908, to submit the annual report of the Education Board of the District of South Canterbury for the year ended the 31st December, 1912. The Board. —At the beginning of the year the Board consisted of the following members : Messrs. W. M. Hamilton (Chairman), G. W. Armitage, C. S. Howard, William Lindsay, George Lyall, John Maze, J. S. Rutherford, G. J. Sealey, and Thomas Sherratt. Messrs. Maze and Lindsay, whose term of office expired in August, were re-elected unopposed, and Mr. Sherratt was re-elected with a majority of sixty-one over his opponent, Mr. Matteo Vucetich. Mr. W. M. Hamilton was re-elected Chairman at the annual meeting of the Board in August. The Board held twenty-two meetings during the year, the average attendance of members being 7-8.

* See E.-5, Report on Manual and Technical Training.

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