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to relatives, 7; expelled, 1; over age, 1; time expired, 9. Of these last 9, the following account is given : Licensed on shore, 5 ; on board s.s. " Stella," 2 ; sent to friends, 1; absent without leave, 1. Thus, out of 29 boys discharged in nine months ending 31st March, 1880, only 6, or a trifle over onefifth, actually went to sea. Of those who have gone to sea since the opening of the school, about one-third are said to have absconded —namely, 22 out of 65. Mr. Habens is disposed to attribute this partly to the "vagrant habits of the boys, and the presence of a criminal element among them." This may be the case to some extent, but I venture to suggest another cause —namely, harsh and improper treatment of the boys by the masters of vessels. Without imputing blame to any one, I think it must be confessed that the school, especially of late, has not proved successful in securing the apprenticing of a fair number of the boys to the sea. I put it in this form, because the ultimate object of " The Naval Training Schools Act, 1874," is no doubt the apprenticing of boys to masters of vessels. There is good reason for saying that the school has very fairly trained a reasonable number of boys for the duties of seaman apprentice; but that, owing to causes beyond the control of the Manager and the Government, an insufficient number of them have actually gone to sea as apprentices. The boys have been trained for the purpose; but there is little or no demand for their services on board ships when they are ready. The fact seems to be that comparatively few boys are wanted in New Zealand as apprentice-seamen. But although only a small proportion of the boys leaving the school actually go to sea, yet the handicraft training received by them is of a most valuable character, and admirably fits them for other useful occupations in the colony. A very large proportion of the boys go to farm work. In addition to instruction in seamanship, including splicing, making of knots, &c, the boys when at the school make and mend their own clothes, and they learn gardening, hay-making, milking, and so much of farm work as is involved in raising a crop of potatoes or turnips. If horse, cart, plough, and harrows were granted, their practice in agriculture would be still further extended. The Manager states he has no difficulty in getting capable boys apprenticed to farm work and other shore occupations. Believing .the buildings, site, and land to be admirably adapted to the purposes of a naval training school, and also to those of an industrial school, I venture to submit the following suggestions for largely increasing the usefulness of the institution: —(1.) That no alteration be made to any extent in the course of training, but that the idea be abandoned that all the boys, or even the greater proportion of them, are to be expected to be apprenticed to the sea. (2.) That much larger use be made of the institution for the purposes of an industrial school for boys of suitable age within the colony —especially outside Canterbury and Otago Districts —who would come under the Neglected and Criminal Children Act, as well as for those who would come under the Naval Training Schools Act. I believe it would be quite competent to the Magisterial Bench to commit the same class of boys to Kohimarama as they could commit to an industrial school, provided they are not under ten nor over fourteen years old. (3.) It might be still better if, without affecting its status under the Naval Training Schools Act, the institution could also be proclaimed an industrial school under the Neglected and Criminal Children Act. This would allow greater latitude as to age and some other matters; and would enable the Government to rescind the proclamations making Burnham and Caversham Schools available for provincial districts outside Canterbury and Otago. It might also be possible to relieve the present pressure upon Burnham and Caversham Schools by removing some of the boys to Kohimarama, if such an arrangement could be legally effected. The cost per head per week at Kohimarama for food, fuel, light, soap, garden seeds, and in fact everything but clothing, is 3s. 6d. per week, or £9 2s. a year. The wages of the staff are £796, or about £717 after deduction of 10 per cent. £717 H- 56 (present number of boys) £12 165.; cost of food, &c, £9 25.: total present cost per boy, exclusive of clothes, £21 18s. The school could accommodate 100 boys easily, without any increase of cost of staff. With 100 boys the result would be: £717 -f- 100 boys, £7 3s. 4d.; cost of food, &c, as above, £9 25.: total cost per boy (if 100), £16 ss. 4d.; difference of cost per boy, £5 12s. Bd. As suggested by Mr. Habens, the dormitory might prove insufficient for 100 boys, but the following plan for increasing the sleeping accommodation merely, would enable more than 100—say, 125 —to be easily provided for: The present classroom and the dormitory form one building, and are only separated by a wooden partition. If my proposal should be accepted, and a much larger number of boys sent to Kohimarama, a detached school-house should be erected, and the whole of the present building made use of for sleeping purposes. Mr. Habens, in his printed report (bottom of page 4), explains why, from a sanitary point of view, the present arrangement as to classroom and dormitory is not satisfactory. I have, however, as already stated, authorised the erection of a closet and corridor for the use of the boys during the night. If this proposal as to a new classroom be entertained, the erection of a plavshed might be deferred, as a verandah along one side of the schoolhouse would be much less costly. The Hon. the Minister of Education. Joiijst His lop.

4. Extract from a Report of the Inspector-General of Schools. Naval Training School, Kohimarama. —I was at this school on the 17th May, on which day I addressed a memorandum to you with reference to the case of an officer temporarily suspended from duty. I have further to report that I found the newly-appointed schoolmaster at work, and the boys no longer attending school by watches, but classified according to their attainments. The school hours are not long enough for efficient instruction in all the subjects of the public school standards, which the master is taking at present as his directory. I recommend that he be informed through the Manager that he may omit elementary science, history of England, and drawing, and, if necessary, diminish the time devoted to the learning of poetry, and that Mr, O'Sullivan, the Auckland Inspector of Schools, be advised that the course is thus curtailed. The Manager informs me that the boys in general would be much more easily controlled and improved if three boys were removed. Should the organization and management of industrial schools be so affected by any legislative enactment