93

E.—s

As an Increasing number of day-school teachers wove utilized as instructors in the evening classes, some trouble was experienced in arranging for them the necessary holidays. This trouble was, however, comparatively unimportant, for much is to be gained by a close co-ordination of the work done in the day school and evening classes, especially since many of the students attending the latter have already taken a course in the day school. The number of individual students in attendance during the year was 300, who were enrolled us follows: Senior free students, 8; junior free [students, 46; paying students, 246. The total number of enrolments in the various classes was 556, which is well up to the average for the past four years. The number of students taking commercial, domestic-science, and art classes was satisfactory, and an unusually large number enrolled for sanitary-science classes, including plumbing practice, principles of plumbing and drainlaying. The decision of the Inveroargill master plumbers to pay the fees of all apprentices attending the plumbing classes regularly throughout the session is a gratifying endorsement of the value of these classes. Kecent legislation on sanitary plumbing may be expected to do much towards putting the trade on a satisfactory footing, for the reason that it makes attendance at technical classes compulsory for the apprentice who wishes to become fully qualified. Considering that attendance at evening classes causes no small strain upon the bodilystrength of many young apprentices, who are already compelled to devote one evening weekly and occasional half-holidays to military drill, it seems natural that the next concession will have to be made by the employers in the direction of permitting apprentices to attend some of their classes during working-hours. In this matter New Zealand is not abreast of other progressive countries, where it is now proved that time thus spent results in a gain not only to the students and to the community as a whole, but directly to the employers themselves. The apathy of the woodworking trades towards technical schools, mentioned in the Report on Manual and Technical Instruction in New Zealand for the year 1912, is as noticeable in Invercargill as elsewhere, and last year it was not found possible to form classes for either architectural drawing or building-construction. The above-named report suggests that many apprentices are deluded into the idea that a course by correspondence is as satisfactory as one in which the student comes in personal contact with the teacher, but it is also likely that many of the apprentices trust to learning " all that is necessary " during working-hours. With the rajjid development of day technical schools this latter delusion should soon be dispelled. An instructor was employed last year to deliver a course of lectures on wool-classing in Invercargill and in country centres, and the results obtained by his students in classing clips during the season were satisfactory. Instruction has been given in this subject during three consecutive years, and it is noteworthy that in that time the condition of the wool forwarded from the shearing-sheds, more particularly those on small stations, has undergone a great improvement. The comments on the condition of the wool sent forward for the sales are now largely favourable, but this was by no means the case only thiee or four years ago. During rhe three years the number of students in Southland who enrolled for the course in wool-clas?ing was 421, and there can be no doubt that the instruction given has been of considerable pecuniary advantage to sheep-farmers in the province. In the annual examination held at the conclusion of the session twelve junior free students attending the evening classes qualified for Senior Free Places. No students were prepared for the City and Guilds of London or for the South Kensington Examinations. In the plumbing classes two students passed the whole examination, qualifying them for registration. xls in past years, the art classes were the only adult classes held during the day. The number of students was well up to the average, and the display of their work was a feature of the annual technical exhibition. During the year three of our students received diplomas from the Canterbury Society of Arts, as follows : First class for perspective drawing, second class for black and white, third class for black and white. In open competition one of the students also provided the winning design for the medal which is to be presented t<s, the prize-winners of the annual competitions of the New Zealand Institute of Architects. A material addition to the College has been made during the past year by the erection of a two-story building for workshops and new lavatories. The ground floor is being fitted up as an engineering workshop, with smithy and tool-room attached. II is proposed, when funds are available, to equip the second floor as a woodworking shop; the number of woodworking factories in the town is sufficient to justify the belief that a large number of apprentices and others in the trade would benefit if a full course of instruction were instituted for them. Meantime the room is being fitted as a combined draughting-room and carpenter's shop, to relieve the overcrowding in the class-rooms. It will be a relief when the room now used for the No. 2 cookery centre is available for classes of the College. Now for its third year it is still called the " temporary cooking centre," and, with increasing numbers in the day school, classes are held of necessity in the attic rooms, which are too low to afford good ventilation when used by large classes for even short periods. During the session a visit was paid io the College by the Education Department's Inspector, Mr. E. C, Isaac, who gave much valuable assistance as a critic and adviser. I have to acknowledge the courtesy and consideration of the Department in dealing with all matters relating to the College, and to thank the Education Board for the careful attention it has given to all matters concerning the welfare of the College. The steady progress of both day and evening classes affords ample testimony to the enthusiasm and energy of the teaching staff. D. E. Hansen, Principal.