E.—s

15

stated, the number of students is small, but the type of instructors engaged in teaching, and the character of the practical and theoretical work undertaken, appears to indicate that it is not unlikely that some of the problems that are ever present with the farmer may find a satisfactory solution in some of our day technical schools. The domestic course affords opportunities to young girls to acquire a sound practical knowledge of needlework, dressmaking and millinery, cookery, laundry-work, and the elements of housecraft, and also of the elementary scientific principles underlying the common facts of life connected with the home and its work. In some cases physiology and home nursing are added to the course, and, in fact, all subjects relating to home-making and home-keeping receive more or less adequate attention. This must, it is considered, result generally in raising the duties of housecraft from the realm of drudgery and infuse into them a larger element of interest. One of the most pleasing and most general features of this course is the insistence on method in everything, as much of the work of the home can be simplified when it is arranged methodically. Day and Evening Technical Classes. Art. —The principal centres of the Dominion are now provided with adequate facilities foi- giving instruction in the several branches of pure and applied art. The attendances at many of the classes diminished toward the end of the third session, but in most cases readied normal conditions before the year closed, and, speaking generally, satisfactory results were achieved. The introduction of more modern methods of instruction, which lias been steadily growing during the past few years, is having a marked effect upon both drawing and painting, and the standard of the average* student's work is gradually being raised. Spontaneity, and in many instances marked originality, are shown, and generally a more solid foundation for the more advanced work is being laid. It is pleasing to note that design is no longer taught as a separate subject, but almost invariably in its relation to the construction and decoration of actual things, due regard being given to material and fitness. At most of the schools instruction in design is given concurrently with instruction in drawing, and opportunities are afforded to students to apply their designs to some decorative and useful purpose. As a consequence the instruction in the several brandies of applied art is most satisfactory. It is quite the exception to find these classes conducted on other than sound technical lines. Instead of students attending as formerly, classes in separate subjects, such as wood-carving and metal-work, and often attempting work which made it necessary for the instructor to prepare the design, and in many cases do the major portion of the work, they now take applied art in conjunction witli drawing or modelling and design, and while less ambitious work is, speaking generally, undertaken, it has the merit of being designed and carried to completion by the students themselves. The art classes are still somewhat handicapped by lack of examples of the best work with which they can compare their own. Until this Dominion is in a position to establish a National Museum of Art, with facilities for moving and exhibiting specimens in all parts of the country, the suggestion is again repeated that controlling authorities might with advantage to art students set apart a small sum each year Cor the purpose of procuring one or more examples of pure and applied art from the Old World, as incorrect standards are likely to be set up by art workers in the absence of opportunities of comparing their efforts with the best produced in other countries. Successes gained by students at the National Art Competitions held by the Board of Education, London, appear to show that the art, instruction and students' work compare not unfavourably with similar work in Croat Britain. Building Trades'. —Although there is a slight increase in the number of students at classes in building-construction, architecture, architectural design, &c, the attendance continues to be below what it is considered it should be, and the only remedy appears to lie in the direction of more encouragement from architects and master builders. At one centre a full course of instruction in architecture, -architectural design, and allied subjects such as building-construction, mechanics, free drawing, modelling, and practical bench-work has been organized and is attended by students who propose to become architects. As may be expected, the attendance at the course is not large, but the course of study and the interest shown by the students appear to point to the necessity of such a course, and that good results will be achieved should the attendance of a sufficient number of students warrant its continuance. The classes have the advantage of being carried on during the day. Speaking generally, improvements are to be noted in the building-construction classes, particularly in the direction of the inclusion in the course of necessary allied subjects, and occasional brief lectures illustrated with lantern-slides on principles of construction applied to notable buildings. Such lectures afford students an opportunity of seeing illustrations of some of the principal ecclesiastical, domestic, and public buildings of the world, and in the absence of opportunities of visiting them generally assist in enlarging their outlook. It is considered that occasional lectures of this type tend to brighten up the course and provide a necessary relief to students tired by the day's work. Carpentry and, Joinery. —The attendance at classes in elementary and advanced' carpentry and joinery is below that of previous years, when it was not unusual to see in the principal centres an attendance of from twenty to twenty-five carpenters at a class engaged in various pieces of work combining, it might be, an original application of a principle learned in the theory class with some new method of construction, but in the words of one of our oldest and most capable instructors, " The new trade-conditions have altered all that, and the stimulus lias been removed." Cabinet-making. —There is only a small increase in classes for instruction in the theory and practice of cabinetmaking to record. The classes established, however, continue to be conducted for the most part on sound practical lines, with general improvements in the methods adopted in the theory classes. Some excellent examples, both simple and elaborate, of the cabinetmaker's