Appendix.

E.—6.

The classes in agriculture have been in operation for three years, but have not met with the full amount of support expected. This appears to be due to the scarcity of labour, which makes it difficult to spare for attendance at school boys whose services are valuable on the farm. For this reason also many of those who begin attendance leave after a few terms. A milk-testing demonstration was carried out by the boys during the Agriculture and Pastoral Association's Show, and several of them acted as stewards to the judges. During the year the Cadets have had very little musketry practice. Good shooting is impossible with the rifle with which they are at present armed. J. J. W. White, Chairman. 2. Work of the Highest and Lowest Classes. Highest. —English—Nesfield, Past and Present; Nesfield's Aids to Composition ; Wilson's Literature ; Shakespeare, Julius Ceesar; Pope, Essay on Criticism; English Prose Selections; Chaucer, Prologue; Composition. Latin—Bradley's Arnold's Latin Prose Composition ; Postgate's Latin Grammar ; Sallust, Catiline ; Virgil, iEneid, Books I and VI; Horace, Selections ; Wilkins, Antiquities ; Shuokburgh's History for Beginners. French —Eve and Baudiss's Grammar ; Exercises on the Grammar; Berthon and Onions' French Composition; Morceaux Choisis; Athalie; light reading. Pine mathematics, English history, and botany as for Junior University Scholarships Examination. Lowest. —English. —Nesfield's Outlines and Junior Composition ; Scott, Marmion ; school editions of Gulliver's Travels and Don Quixote ; Composition. English history—Tout's History of Great Britain, to Edward III; Geography British Isles, British possessions in Europe, and India. Arithmetic —Pendlebury's new Arithmetic, Part I. Algebra -Baker and Bourne, Part I, to simultaneous simple equations Geometry-—Hall and Stevens's Geometry, Part I. Latin- -Bell's First and Second Courses; Scalae Primue. French —Dent's First Book; Vernet, Le Francais de la France. Physics— As for Public Service Entrance (a). Botany — Elementary observation of root, stem, leaf, and flower. Agriculture—-Theoretical and practical agriculture and dairy-work. Book-keeping —Jackson's Elementary Book-keeping. Hygiene (girls)- Lyster's First Stage Hygiene. Woodwork (boys). Cookery (girls). NELSON COLLEGE. Staff. Boys' College.— -M.V. K. L. Fowler, M.A. ; Mr. G. J. Lancaster, M.A. : Mr. G. H. Broad, B.A. ; Mr. J. G. McKay, B.A. ; Mr. J. (i. Pope, M.A. ; Mr. J. l>. Davey, M.A. ; Mr. A. E. Brackett, M.A. ; Mr. K. Saxon ; Mr. J. S. Nelson; Mr. S. Hampson ; Mr. F. C. T. Cookburn. Girls' College. —Miss M. Lorimer, M.A. ; Miss M. MoEachen, M.A. ; Miss A. Eastwood, M.A. ; Miss 1. Edwards, M.A. ; Miss G. Isaac, M.A. ; Miss M. Garland, M.A. ; Miss G. Saxon, M.A. ; Miss E. F. Chisholm ; Miss W. Greenwood. 1. Report of the Board of Governors. Buildinya. —The laboratory for the teaching of domestic and natural science at the Girls' College was completed and equipped, and two additional music-rooms erected during the year. Pupils. —The average number in attendance at the Boys' College was 224, and the average number of boarders 104. At the Girls' College the average number on the roll was 186, and the number of boarders 45, a record in both cases. The Inspectors' reports and the results of the public examinations were very satisfactory. Thanks to the generosity of the old boys the Governors have been able to erect a double fivescourt, built of brick and cement-lined, which has proved a great attraction. Interest in Cadet work was increased this year by the formation of an Artillery Corps, consisting of thirty of the Senior Cadets under the command of Captain McKay. Instruction was given by non-commissioned officers of the local battery, and very satisfactory progress made. The Staff. -Boys' College : Mr. Kidson having been awarded by the University Senate one of the free passages to Europe offered by the Orient Company, was granted leave of absence for a year, his place being taken temporarily by Mr. J. Davey, M.A. Mr. Lawrence left the staff in order to study law, and has since been admitted. Mi. Robinson resigned, and Mr. Pope left to take up an appointment at Scots College, Sydney ; Mr. K. Saxon and Mr. J. S. Nelson joined the staff, the latter as master in charge of the lower school. Girls' College : Miss Farrow was granted leave of absence for the second and third terms, Miss Edwards, 8.A., acting as relieving-teacher. Miss Chisholm, who had been in charge of the preparatory department for nine years, resigned, and Miss MacKenzie was appointed to fill the vacancy. Examinations.— -Boys' College : The following results were obtained in the public examinations held in December and January last— Four boys were awarded University Entrance Scholarships, two others gaining credit. Two passed the Senior Civil Service Examination in all subjects, and three obtained a partial pass. Twenty-two passed the Public Service Entrance Examination, twelve of them with credit, one heading the list. The Senior Free Place (Intermediate) Examination was passed by thirty-four candidates. In the Matriculation Examination fourteen passed, eleven of them qualifying for the Solicitors' General, six for the Medical Preliminary, and four for the Engineering Preliminary. One undergraduate pupil passed the first term's examination, one the second, and one the first section for the LL.B. degree. Girls' College : The results in the public examinations were highly satisfactory, there being remarkably few failures. Miss D. Hunt obtained the first section of the B.A. degree. Miss Ethel McNabb gained a Junior University Scholarship, and two girls gained credit passes. Nine passed Matriculation and the allied examinations, and two others completed that examination. Owing to the new regulations, there were no entries for the Junior Civil Service Examination, but four gained full passes in the Senior Service Examination. Twenty-six gained the Senior Free Place under clause 7 (c), and eleven others by special examination ; three gained extension, and six the Junior Free Place.

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