E.— 2

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subsidy for the purpose of carrying out comprehensive and effective beautifying schemes. In addition, much has been done by Committees in raising funds for the establishment of or additions to school libraries, for the purchase of pictures to adorn the school-walls, for the supply of gramophones, and for the provision of hot cocoa or hot lunches for the children. A number of School Committees find it difficult to carry on with the amount allowed them for incidental expenses, and were it not for moneys raised locally many of them could not have met their ordinary liabilities. The .special additional grant made by the Department has enabled the Board to give some relief in the most necessary cases. In conclusion, I desire to extend to you and to the officers of your Department the thanks of the Board for the attention given to the many requests it has submitted during the year. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. G. F. Roach, Chairman.

WELLINGTON. Sir, — In accordance with the requirements of the Education Act, 1914,1 have the honour to submit the following report of the Education Board of the District of Wellington for the year 1924 : — Board.—The membership at the end of the year was : Wellington City —Messrs. Thomas Eorsyth (Chairman), R. A. Wright, M.P., J. J. Clark, and A. J. White ; Hutt and Petonc —Messrs. G. T. London and J. Stonehouse ; Hutt-Horowhenua Ward —Messrs. C. I. Harkness and L. H. Atkins ; Wairarapa Ward —Messrs. T. Moss and R. McLeod ; Marlborough Ward —Messrs. E. H. Penny and D. McCallum. Board Representatives on other educational bodies : High schools —Wellington Colleges, the Chairman ; Marlborough College, Messrs. R. McCallum, C. Ferguson, and W. D. Pike ; Masterton High School, Messrs. R. McLeod, A. Donald, and T. Jordan ; Hutt Valley High School, Messrs. G. T. London, E. P. Rishworth, and the Mayor of Petone : Technical Schools —Wellington, Messrs. T. Forsyth, J. J. Clark, and A. J. White ; Masterton, J. M. Calwell; Petone, Messrs. G. T. London and D. McKenzie. Training College. —The Board last year drew attention to the need for increased accommodation and staffing to ensure the efficient training of the greatly increased numbers under instruction in recent years. It has recognized the financial difficulties, and appreciates also the efforts made to meet the requirements of the institution. Those latter, however, by no means adequately meet its needs. The steps taken for the amelioration of the conditions of overcrowding are but temporary, and the Board respectfully urges that the measures it has already recommended are an essential element of educational efficiency, and should no longer be delayed. Progress here is safe, sound, and necessary in view of the certainty of steady increase of population in the district the institution serves —namely, Nelson, Taranaki, Wanganui, and Hawke's Bay, in addition to Wellington itself. Secondary Education. —The average attendances for the year 1924 at the district high schools in the district were : Carterton, 39 ; Eketahuna, 39 ; Featherston, 32 ; Greytown 23 ; Hutt, 54 ; Levin, 97 ; Martinborough, 22; Pahiatua, 52; Petone, 67; total 425. In addition, a secondary class of five pupils was conducted at the Pongaroa Public School. Manual and Technical. —Instruction in elementary handwork was given in all schools as prescribed by the syllabus. At twenty-five schools in sole charge of male teachers classes in needlework were carried on by special instructresses. Additional centres are urgently required for cookery and woodwork, so as to permit of more convenient access from the schools served and of saving time. The proposed centre at Coutts Street (authorized since the end of the year) will be of great benefit to the eastern area of Wellington. The Featherston district requires a centre ; at Martinborough, where a secondary department is now well established, properly equipped rooms are required for science, woodwork, and cookery. Picton can obtain instruction at Blenheim only by spending a whole day at a time. In agriculture a more clearly defined course is being pursued. In a few schools a starthas been made with forestry. The assistance of the Forestry Department has been offered, and some supplies of trees obtained from the State nurseries. The Board has for a number of years supplied free to Committees shelter and hedge trees where these can be well cared for. It invites the hearty co-operation of Committees and teachers everywhere in the effort to create the elevating influence of beautiful school surroundings. Medical and Dental Service. —The public appreciation of these services increases. Frequent requests have been received for a more rapid extension of the dental service to new centres and to country schools than the numbers under training as dental nurses permit of. School Libraries. —Wellington City continues its wise policy of providing wholesome literature in plenty. Nearly ten thousand volumes were supplied to thirty-three schools, an increase of more than eight hundred over the previous year's numbers. The management is excellent. The group schemes of Featherston, Carterton, and Masterton show great self-reliance, and their success is a tribute alike to local generosity and to the well-directed labours of the teachers who manage the schemes. Conveyance. —The Board has tried out the conveyance of children at Levin, Shannon, and elsewhere. The educational benefit is unquestionable, but the monetary allowances are in many instances much below requirements. Making the best financial arrangements possible, the Board has found that at two centres it has had to supplement the grants by well over £800 in five years. Relief is thus urgently necessary if the system of conveyance is to be continued.