E.—s

50

1 desire to express my thanks to the members of the staff for the able assistance they have rendered in carrying on the work of the school during the year. I think that any one who has visited the College recently will recognize that many improvements have been effected on the buildings and grounds during the year. Bicycle-shelters have been erected, considerable areas have been turfed, paths asphalted or gravelled, fences erected in the playing-area, a cricket-pitch formed, in addition to which (thanks to the success of the bazaar by which we netted .£360) we expect before next year to lay down three asphalt tennis-courts. We have to thank the boys of the engineering and agricultural courses for their assistance on various occasions. Now that we have been in the building itself lor nearly a year we are able to appreciate properly the great advantage of having a building so well appointed and so beautifully lighted. True, we may have discovered where the arrangements of the rooms might be improved, but as we cannot expect perfection we are thoroughly satisfied with the pleasant conditions under which we are working. .At the beginning of this year there were no organized sports clubs. Now our athletics form ;i distinct phase of school life. During the first term we had a most successful swimming tournament in our own baths; our football team won the fourth-grade competition under the auspices of the Wanganui Rugby Union; the girls' hockey club came second in the ladies' hockey competition. Our cricket club is in its infancy, and promises to uphold the honour of the College in the junior-grade competition. When the tennis-courts are opened we expect the majority of our girls to play this fine game, and I have no doubt they will derive immense lienefit from the exercise and social intercourse to he derived from it. Our Cadet corps has been recognized as a separate unit by the Defence Department, anil as Mr. Stewart volunteered to accept the position of captain there is every prospect of the corps doing us honour in the future. We hope soon to be uniformed, and provided with rifles. While on the subject of Cadets I cannot omit to mention that one of our pupils was selected to a position in the Cadet contingent that recently toured Canada and New Zealand. During the year the College was inspected by the Inspector of Technical Education, who furnished a splendid report mi the work and syllabus of the various departments. The following courses have been in operation in the day school during the year : Secondary course, commercial course, agricultural course, engineering course, art course. In all these courses yen successful work has been carried out. What 1 consider the three immediate requirements for the future (and these depend largely upon the attendance) are — (a.) A permanent assistant with science qualifications lo have control of the agricultural pupils (b.) Domestic course to train girls in home science. This should be one of the most successful courses of the College, and 1 trust we shall have a sufficiently large enrolment next year to make this course thoroughly successful, (c.) A boarding-establishment for the boys who come to us from the country districts. Such a building would enable us to exercise control over boarders after school hours, and ensure the steady prosecution of their studies. Incidentally such an establishment would enable girls of the domestic course to get practice in the practical details of housekeeping. The College is deeply indebted to all those who contributed towards our prize fund. In conclusion, I trust it will be remembered that this College is in its veriest infancy. We have no historic records, no long list of successes, scholastic and athletic, to refer to with pride. We have as yet created no distinctive school atmosphere, and are without that historic past which more than aught else creates school tone. We have had to encounter innumerable difficulties, but the future is all before us, and if we have not a past to lean upon tit least we are untrammelled by custom, and may well hope to work out our own destiny along the most progressive lines by the adoption of the latest methods of educational experts. W. A. Armour, M.A.. M.Sc, Principal. Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1912, in respect of Special Classes conducted at Apiti, Awahuri, Bull's, Bunnythorpe, Castlecliff, Eltham, Feilding, Gonville, Hawera, Kakaramea, Kimbolton, Makino, Manaia, Mangatoki, Manutahi, Marton, Matapu, Okahea, Patea, Pohan-gina, Rongotea. Sanson. Taihape, Wanganui, Wanganui East, and Waverley (Teachers' Classes). Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Oapitation on classes .. .. .. 2,737 11 0 Balance at beginning of year .. 3,690 12 10 Capitation on acoount of free places .. 392 17 6 S ilariea of instructors .. .. 4 5 Buildings .. .. .. .. 721 5 0 ' Office salaries .. .. .. 97 16 10 Rent .. .. .. .. .. 419 0 Advertising, printing, and stationery .. 229 2 7 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 929 9 1 ! Lighting, heating, and cleaning .. .. 479 19 2 Material .. .. .. .. 72 3 8 j Insurance and repairs 116 11 3 Subsidies on voluntary contributions .. 748 16 9 Rent .. .. .. .. .. 26 12 6 Training of teachers .. .. .. 450 0 0 Material for class use .. .. .. 223 10 4 Instructors' coach fares .. .. 51 18 0 j Clerical assistance .. .. 2118 6 Pees .. .. .. .. .. 1,027 5 2 Telephone .. .. .. .. 19 13 11 Voluntary contributions .. .. 1,111 6 6 Instructors'travelling-expenses .. .. 209 811 Examination fees .. .. .. 8 10 0 Library and priz;s .. 73 13 11 Refunds and discounts .. .. .. 18 7 6 Sports fund .. .. .. .. 27 14 6 Material sold .. .. .. .. 90 7 7 Uncertificated teachers' classes .. .. 159 16 9 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 4,628 12 8 | Miscellaneous expenses .. .. 37 1 0 Contraots (new buildings, additions, &c.) .. 1,021 6 7 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 1,592 5 5 £12,993 9 5 9 5 W, H, Swanger, Secretary,