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No. 2. KEPOKT OF THE INSPECTORS OF MANUAL AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION. Sib,— \\ i have the honour to submit the following report on manual and technical instruction in the Dominion for the year ending 31st December, 1912 : — A. Manual Instruction. In about 68 per cent, of the public schools instruction in accordance with the regulations was given in one or more branches of manual instruction. In the lower classes paper-work, drawing with brush and colour or with coloured chalks, and modelling are the branches usually selected, the instruction in an increasing number of schools being associated with the subjects of the syllabus. With the exception perhaps of brush drawing it is the exception rather than the rule to find any branch of handwork treated as an isolated subject. In many of the classes, however, in which brush drawing is taught the recognition of the brush as a drawing-instrument is steadily advancing. It has been well said that "drawing with the brush and water-colours from real objects has now become a regular part of the work of all the best schools, and has fortunately superseded what was known as 'brush work'—that is, copying conventional forms, in-, still worse, falsified natural forms, such as blue leaves, red lemons, green blackbirds, and the like, in crude aniline colours." The excellent and varied assortment of wafer-colours and brushes supplied a l rates which, a few years ago. would have been deemed impossible has brought about a most desirable extension of this form of handwork in primary schools. In the higher classes woodwork, cookery, dressmaking, laundry-work, elementary agriculture, and elementary science are the subjects most generally taught. As regards woodwork, it is gratifying to note the adoption of more educational methods at must of the centres, but much remains to be done in the direction of correlating the instruction with that in other subjects of the syllabus. There are, however, two pleasing features in connexion with the instruction in woodwork—namely, a strong desire mi the part of instructors to iln their best for the pupils and to make the lessons truly educative, and a readiness to accept suggestions for the improvement of the work. Opportunity is here taken to direct attention to certain matters relating to the instruction in woodwork generally. The majority of the instructors are trained mechanics thoroughly conversant with the rapid methods of production that obtain in workshop practice. These methods are, however, out of place in the woodworkroom, where the training of the pupil and not the production of models is all-important. Everything which tends to develop mental alertness, physical litness, and thoroughness should be constantly kept in mind. The pupil and not the model or exercise should be the chief consideration. There is evidence of a tendency on the part of some instructors to overlook—unconsciously, it may lx) —the physical and mental limitations of their young pupils. 'lon much is at times expected of them, and while palpable negligence and carelessness should never be overlooked, the slowness and, in some cases, the inability of a lad to grasp the new experiences he meets with in the drawing-lesson or at the woodwork bench, together with a lack of aptitude in the use of tools, should be regarded not as faults but as calling for special care and patience on the part of the instructor. When the limited time occupied by a course of w Iwork is taken into account it is a matter fur surprise that the pupils, as a whole, make such good progress. If the work of the average pupil after a two-years woodwork course, which occupies 120 hours (about three weeks altogether), were compared with that of the average apprentice for the same period, (he decision would probably be found to be in favour of the schoolboy, in spite of the fact that the latter has worked somewhat at a disadvantage, inasmuch as his training has not been continuous as in the case of tiie apprentice. " It appears necessary also to emphasize again the desirability of devoting more attention to demonstration lessons in the use of certain tools. The average Standard V pupil probably finds the tenon-saw and the marking-gauge among the most difficult to use, and it is suggested with the view of helping him to use such tools effectively that a little more time and attention should be given to exercises involving their use. Frequent demonstrations should be given illustrating the correct method of holding and using them. Pupils should be shown, for example, that the saw, if in good condition, does not require to be "forced," but on the contrary to be held lightly in the hand, dependence being placed on the weight of the saw rather than on the application of muscular force. In this connexion attention is directed to the necessity for arranging for the sharpening of saw,, at more frequent intervals. At some centres it is not easy to find a tenon-saw in a fit condition to place in the hands of a boy just commencing work at the bench Attention is also drawn to the absence in many cases of any references in the pupils' notebooks to the structure, characters, and growth of timbers in common use. The number of woodwork classes in operation during the year was 390. The number for 1911 was 321. Increasing attention is being given to instruction in domestic subjects, especially in the direction of widening the scope of the work. The course in cookery now more often than not