Appendix C]

E.—2,

The average numbers of pupils in the different groups of classes who received instruction were—Class P to S2, 6,029; S3 and 84, 2,829; S5 and S6, 2,149 : total, 11,007. Needlework classes under clause 26 (c) of the Manual and Technical Regulations were conducted in nine schools. The roll number was 123, and the average yearly attendance 102. Most of Ihe work done was for the Red Cross or some patriotic society. Woodwork, Cookery, and Dressmaking Classes. —Owing to sickness the work of these classes has been again interfered with. At Gisborne the schools were closed for a period of four weeks, and at Hastings centre for two weeks, owing Io epidemics of diphtheria. The following were the number of classes and the roll numbers of the woodwork, cookery, ami dressmaking classes : Woodwork, 23 classes, roll 560; cookery, 23 classes, roll 526; dressmaking, 23 classes, roll 468. Owing to the manual-training centre at Napier not being yet an established fact, 400 pupils are being deprived of instruction in woodwork, cookery, and dressmaking. The qualify of the work of the pupils attending the woodwork classes is steadily ou Ihe up grade. The instrumental drawing was particularly good, and the completed models showed that both pupils and instructors are doing satisfactory work. The conditions under which teachers and pupils are working are gradually being improved. The woodwork-room at Gisborne was relined and remodelled during the Christmas vacation. During the year a new cookery-room was built at Hastings, linoleums were laid in the cookeryrooms at Gisborne and Hastings, and new benches were put in the cookery-room at Waipawa. Science Classes.-- 116 classes were recognized for purposes of capitation during the year. These included forty-live classes in agriculture and dairy science, fifty classes in agriculture, and twenty-one classes in experimental science. The number of classes and roll numbers were as follows: Agriculture, 50 classes, roll 1,045; agriculture and dairy science, 45 classes, roll 969; experimental science, 21 classes, roll 765: total, 116 classes, 'roll 2,779. In the large schools some good work was done, and the school gardens and grounds were very creditable. Some of the small schools, owing to changes of teachers, did very spasmodic work. Next year I propose to conduct a series of classes for teachers in science subjects for Standard VI requirements. The work will be made more definite and the school-gardening more systematic. It is to be hoped that the teachers of the small country schools will be able to take advantage of these classes.

CANTERBURY. Extract from the Report of the Supervisor of Manual Training. With respect to elementary handwork the Hoard carried out a forward policy during the year. It was not to be expected that such a large newly constituted district could be brought into one harmonious whole without a considerable amount of trouble, especially as many of the schools in the outlying parts of the district had not previously taken up any form of handwork and were without material and apparatus of any kind whatever. At the beginning of the year schemes of instruction were sent out to the different schools exemplifying how a course could be adopted, making the instruction correlative, continuous, and complete. In most cases teachers adopted these schemes and carried them out satisfactorily. The difficulties in the way of furnishing supplies have been very great, first on account of the scarcity of material and apparatus, and secondly on account of the increased cost thereof; but the best has been done under the circumstances, and the small schools in the remote parts of the district have been as liberally treated as those in the larger centres. Elementary handwork was taken up at 379 schools by 27,352 pupils, A considerable amount of extension has also taken place in connection with what is known as the advanced branches of handwork. Included in this list are classes as part of the agricultural courses of instruction, classes in woodwork, ironwork, cookery, domestic economy, hygiene, home science, laundry-work, swimming, (fee Woodwork and cookery classes have been carried on at twenty-two different centres with about 124 classes in eacli subject, and an average of 6,000 pupils received instruction. An attempt was made to give all pupils attending schools within reach of manual-training centres an opportunity of attending classes in these important branches of education, and where possible pupils were conveyed by rail, tram, Arc, to attend the different classes. Disorganization of the railway time-tables in the early part of the year threw these classes out of gear altogether, upset all our arrangements, and caused the Board considerable loss. In many instances classes once started had to be dropped because trains were unsuitable for both instructors and scholars. During the year a new manual-training centre was established at Geraldine, where some excellent work was done. New rooms at Oxford enabled the work to be carried on under more ideal conditions than heretofore. Classes in woodwork and cookery were re-established at the Hokitika and Greymouth centres. These centres had not been made use of for some time, and the buildings had got into disrepair. During the early part of the year the rooms were refitted and instructors appointed to take charge of the classes. These instructors have been most enthusiastic in their work, and the classes have been a great success. The wants and needs of our boys at the front have not been neglected by either the pupils or instructors in connection with these classes, as at nearly all the centres a great deal lias been done by way of supplying articles to be sold for Red Cross and patriotic purposes. Although much has been done with

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