E.—s.

No. 1. EXTRACT FROM THE THIRTY - SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT OE THE MINISTEK OF EDUCATION. MANUAL AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION. Manual Instruction in Public Schools. During the year classes recognized under the Regulations for Manual and Technical Instruction were held in connexion with 68 per cent, of the public schools, an increase of 2]per cent. The percentages for the various education districts were as follows*: — Percentage of Schools „. . at which Instruction was District. „:.,„„ given. I'll I. 1912. Auckland... ... ... ... ... ... ... 51 52 Taranaki ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 68 72 Wanganui... ... ... ... ... ... ... 95 92 Wellington ... ... ... ... ... ... 71 70 Hawke's Bay ... ... ... ... ... ... 76 74 Marlborough ... ... ... ... ... ... 70 65 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 52 50 Grey ... ... 22 27 Westland... ... ... 39 41 North Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... ... 68 74 South Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... ... 57 58 Otago ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 64 75 Southland... ... ... ... ... ... ... 98 97 The number of public schools in which recognized classes were held was 1,508, an increase of 72 schools. The number of recognized classes was 3,607. Payments by way of capitation and subsidies on voluntary contributions totalled £24,992 Bs. lid., an increase of about £4,000, due mostly to an increase in the number of district high schools taking up rural courses in their secondary departments. The average rate of payment per class was £4-1. Special grants for buildings and equipment totalled £9,931, an increase of about £5,000. The grants were mainly in aid of the erection of additional manual-training centres in various districts, and of buildings for science, woodwork, and|cookery in connexion with district high schools providing rural courses. The various forms of elementary handwork in which pupils of the lower standards receive instruction afford valuable opportunities for concrete illustration, and accordingly are now being largely taught in conjunction with other subjects of the syllabus, such as arithmetic, geography, and instrumental drawing. Of the subjects taken in the higher standards woodwork and cookery- continue to be taught on the central system, and by special instructors. There are now about eighty well-equipped rooms for the instruction of public-school pupils in woodwork and cookery. In the larger towns special manual-training schools separate from the technical school have been provided. In the smaller towns manualtraining rooms form part of the local district high school, secondary school, or technical school, as the case may be. During the year 390 classes for woodwork (or ironwork), and for cookery were in operation. In some districts the girls receive instruction in dressmaking (ninety-nine classes) and laundry-work (eighty-five classes) in addition to cookery. Compared with last year the number of classes for domestic subjects shows an increase of 14 per cent. This must be regarded as satisfactory in view of the importance rightly attached to the training of girls in subjects bearing on the home. Until recently the instruction in domestic subjects has been confined mainly to methods and processes, little attention being given to the principles on which these are based. This has been largely due to the scarcity of teachers having the necessary training and experience to enable them to deal effectively with domestic subjects except from the standpoint of utility. This defect is now, however, being gradually remedied. In some districts the teaching staff has been strengthened by the addition of trained teachers from Home ; while the home science classes recently established at the Otago University and the training hostel in connexion with the Christchurch Technical College, may be

2