E.—s

3

Summary of Occupations of Students. Number of Percentage of Students. Totals. Clerical pursuits .. .. .. .. ..2,173 12-8 Professional pursuits .. .. .. .. .. 2,684 15-9 Students .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,381 200 Domestic pursuits .. .. .. .. .. 2,845 16-8 Agricultural pursuits .. .. .. .. .. 835 4-9 Various trades and industries .. .. .. .. 4,493 26-6 Other occupations not stated .. .. .. .. 499 3-0 Totals .. .. .. ..16,910 1000 Number of Classes in certain Subjects of Technical Instruction held in 1917 and 1918 1917. 1918. Arts and artcrafts .. .. .. .. 224 235 Mechanical and electrical engineering, theoretical and practical 224 220 Building-construction, carpentry, and plumbing, and other trades .. .. .. .. .. 185 204 Experimental and natural science, mathematics, &c. .. 132 135 Agriculture, wool-sorting, dairy-work, &c. ..' .. 127 98 Domestic subjects .. .. .. .. .. 364 367 Commercial subjects .. .. .. .. . . 365 369 Subjects of general education .. .. .. .. 341 337 Totals .. .. .. .. 1,962 1,965 It is to be noted that females outnumber the male students by about one thousand, and that the number of students engaged in agriculture and in other trades and industries is only slightly under one-third of the total number in attendance at the classes. A falling-off in the number of classes in the various branches of engineering has to be recorded ; but whereas it has been usual during the past four years to record a decrease in the number of classes in subjects connected with the building trades, this year's records show an increase in both classes and students. The workshops and equipment of the principal schools enable them to provide a fairly complete course in workshop practice, and while many objections may be advanced against keeping these workshops up to date in the matter of machine tools, it is considered that if the instruction given is to react advantageously on the industries of the country a reasonably complete equipment of the best modern tools is necessary. There is, however, a growing conviction that the school workshop is not the principal factor in technical training. It ranks with the laboratories in importance, as the principles learned in the latter can be practised or applied and tested in the workshops, but the training must not end there. If the youth of to-day is to become the efficient workman of the future, if he is to take his place in the industrial system as a man and as a skilled craftsman, he must comprehend his work not only from the standpoint of the workshop, but in its relations to science, to art, and to society in general; and the technical schools, if they are fulfilling their true function, exist to show him those relationships. One of the most enlightened directors of vocational training has said, " Industrial training shall be primarily not for the sake of industries, but for the sake of citizenship ; to this end it must be conducted on a purely educational basis, and not on behalf of interested manufacturers " ; and, further, " The young workman who understands his trade in its scientific relations, its historical, economic, and social bearings, will take a higher view of his trade, of his powers and duties as a citizen, and as a member of society." There is a slight falling-off in the number of classes in agricultural subjects, but there is a marked growth in the appreciation of the value of and the desire for knowledge that can be of immediate service in the solution of problems that arise day by day on the farm, or in matters connected therewith. The number of classes held was 98, as against 127 in 1917. The subjects dealt with include agriculture, dairy-work, wool-sorting, shearing, and orchard-work ; and, although the subjects may not be studied as thoroughly and as fully as appears desirable, there can be no question as to the educational and practical value of the " short course " in agricultural subjects which has been made a special feature of the work in some districts. In these courses a problem is dealt with in each lesson, all matters extraneous thereto being as far as possible eliminated. The scientific side of the