E.—s

34

Extract from the Report of the Director of the New Plymouth Technical School. At the New Plymouth Technical School the day classes have prospered steadily. During the year sixty-six students received tuition in one or other of the courses —commercial, industrial, and domestic. From the day classes six students were successful in passing the Junior Intermediate and the Public Entrance Examinations. The total number of students at all classes was 375. I should like to see students taking a longer course than many of them do. Not a great deal of good can be obtained in one year. In the commercial class the great drawback is the high price of typewriters. For a class of twenty students at least ten typewriters are necessary. This means an outlay of £180 out of a capitation of about £200. Of the night classes one of the most important was a dairy-science class for factory managers and employers. The class was conducted by Mr. A. H. Hustwick, and was well attended. Some of the students came as far as sixteen miles to attend. The course of lessons included—Full analysis of milk, both pure and adulterated, illustrating theory, as follows : Fat by Baboock test; theory of specific gravities; total solids, and deductions therefrom; ash; fat by chemical analysis, comparisons with Babcock test; interpretation of these results; colostrum milk, showing abnormalities compared with normal milk. Babcock test; the why and the wherefore, with experiments illustrating. Testing Babcock glassware. Analysis of butter : Moisture, salt; comparisons between factory and laboratory methods. Making and checking normal solutions (acid, alkali, silver, <fee). General laboratory practice. I still find that compulsory military training interferes with the night classes. It would be a good thing if sufficient accommodation could be provided to enable all drills for the week to be carried out in one night. At the City and Guilds of London Examination, held during the year, five of the plumbing students were successful in passing (either wholly or in part) the Plumbing Examination; while one student from the day class passed the First-grade Examination in Electrical Engineering. In addition to the classes held in New Plymouth itself, classes were also held at Urenui (dressmaking and millinery), Waitara (dressmaking and millinery), and Inglewood, Midhirst, and Tariki (dressmaking). These classes were well attended. As regards classes held at centres away from the railway, the great drawback is the time taken up in travelling. At the Stratford centre a number of technical and continuation classes were held. The class in dairy science was well attended. It was conducted by Mr. F. J. Morgan, M.Sc, who has devoted much time to the subject. The scheme of work dealt with the chemistry of milk, its preservation, its adulteration, chemical means of detecting fraud, &c. In connexion with fraud, a demonstration was given showing the detection of watered milk by the freezing process. The class was attended by most of the dairy-factory employers of the district. The total number of students at all classes was ninety-one. Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1913, in respect of Special Glasses conducted at New Plymouth, Waitara, and Urenui by the Taranaki Education Board. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Capitation on classes .. .. .. 273 15 9 Dr. balance at beginning of year .. .. 120 15 8 Capitation on account of free places .. 112 11 9 Salaries of instructors .. .. .. 685 3 5 Buildings .. .. .. 18 2 0 Office expenses (including salaries, staPurniture, fittings, and apparatus .. .. 80 5 8 tionery, &c.) .. .. .. 20 10 9 Material .. .. .. .. 35 10 11 Advertising and printing .. .. .. 32 0 6 Subsidies on voluntary contributions .. 52 13 6 Lighting and heating .. .. .. 16 11 0 Fees .. .. .. .. .. 163 17 0 Insurance and repairs .. .. .. 23 14 6 Voluntary contributions .. .. .. 34 17 0 Material for class use .. .. .. 44 2 1 Deposit fees .. .. .. .. 116 11 0 Caretaker .. .. .. 29 16 6 Material sold .. .. . - .. 214 0 Refunds.. .. .. .. .. 113 0 6 Refunds.. .. .. .. 10 12 6 Rates .. .. .. .. .. 715 0 Rent .. .. .. .. .. 250 Contraots (new buildings, additions, &o.) .. 83 14 8 Dr. balance at end of year.. .. .. 340 9 3 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. .. 67 0 9 £1,244 5 4 £1,244 5 4 R. W. Whbtteb, for Secretary. Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1913, in respect of Special Classes conducted at Stratford, Midhirst, and Tariki by the Taranaki Education Board. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Or. balance at beginning of year .. .. 34 12 0 Salaries of instructors .. .. .. 155 1 3 Capitation on classes .. .. .. 50 110 Office expenses (including salaries, staRent .. .. .. .. 14 10 0 tionery, &c.) .. .. .. .. 416 5 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. .. 1 19 8 Advertising and printing .. .. .. 112 9 Fees .. .. .. .. 94 12 6 Lighting and heating .. .. .. 10 0 Voluntary contributions .. .. .. 010 0 Insurance and repairs .. .. .. 3 3 6 Material sold .. .. .. .. 16 3 Material for class use .. .. .. 1 5 11 Caretaker .. .. .. 12 12 6 Contracts (new buildings, additions, &c.) .. 14 0 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. .. 3 15 6 Or. balance at end of year.. .. .. 13 0 5 £197 12 3 £197 12 3 R. W. Whbttee, for Secretary.