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open four nights per week, from 7 to 9 —on Mondays and Wednesdays for freehand and model drawing, drawing and painting from the antique, modelling in clay, &c; and on Tuesdays and Thursdays for practical, plane, and solid geometry, mechanical and architectural drawing, &c. This has been the most successful session since the establishment of these classes. The attendance increased to such an extent during the second and third quarters that it was impossible to carry on the work with satisfaction, the rooms being inconveniently crowded. I think this difficulty could be overcome if one of the rooms in the Normal School could be made use of in the evening : if not, I fear it will be necessary to refuse admission to a great number who may wish to attend. The class for sketching from the living model met every Friday evening, from 7.30 to 9.30, and was well attended by advanced and ex-students : the work done showed a considerable advance on the previous year. It is proposed to hold a separate exhibition of the works done at the end of next session. The public schools whose names appear at the end of this report received our attention. In all the classes I was able to visit the progress made was most satisfactory. As no action has been taken in regard to the recommendation contained in my last report, that drawing be included as one of the ordinary subjects of examination, I trust before another examination takes place something may be done in the matter. At the close of the session an exhibition of the works executed by the students was open four days, and was largely attended. As a whole, the works indicated sound progress; more, however, in a uniform grade of merit than from the presence of a few works of acknowledged excellence. The number of drawings and paintings exhibited was as follows : Freehand outline, 53; mechanical drawings, 80 ; architectural drawings, 63; chalk drawings from the flat, 134 ; chalk drawings from the round, 93; paintings in monochrome from the flat, 16; from the round, 36; painting in water-colours, 93; in oil-colours, 10; paintings from nature, 6. List of Schools.—Normal School, 852 pupils; Union Street, 281 pupils; Arthur Street, 548 pupils; William Street, 319 pupils ; George Street, 152 pupils ; Albany Street, 413 pupils ; North-East Valley, 176 pupils ; Caversham, 272 pupils ; Kaikorai, 220 pupils ; Kensington, 199 pupils; Forbury, 570 pupils; Anderson's Bay, 71 pupils; Mornington, 245 pupils; Port Chalmers High School, 293 pupils; Lawrence High School, 226 pupils; Tokomairiro High School, 339 pupils; Oamaru High School, 259 pupils; Dunedin Girls' High School, 172 pupils ; Dunedin Boys' High School, 272 pupils. I have, &c.j The Secretary, Otago Education Board. David C. Hutton, Art Master.

SOUTHLAND. Sir, — Invercargill, Ist March, 1883. In compliance with the provisions of clause 103 of " The Education Act, 1877," I have the honour to submit the following report of the Southland Education Board, for the year ending the 31st December, 1882:— The Board.—The following gentlemen were members of the Board at the beginning of the year —viz., Thomas M. Macdonald, Esq. (Chairman); George Lumsden, Esq. ; John Morison, Esq. ; James Mackintosh, Esq. ; George McLeod, Esq.; Henry Feldwick, Esq.; Alfred Baldey, Esq.; John McArdell, Esq.; and Thomas Denniston, Esq. The three retiring members were George Lumsden, Esq.; John McArdell, Esq. ; and John Morison, Esq.; all of whom were •re-elected. The three retiring members on the 31st March, 1883, are Thomas M. Macdonald, Esq.; James Mackintosh, Esq.; and Thomas Denniston, Esq. During the year the Board held sixteen and the Executive Committee twenty-six meetings, for general and special purposes. The number of meetings of the Board which each member attended during the year, was as follows: George Lumsden, 15; George McLeod, 15; Alfred Baldey, 15; T. M. Macdonald, 14 (absent from one meeting by leave of the Board) ; John Morrison, 14; Thomas Denniston, 14; John McArdell, 10; James Mackintosh, 9; and Henry Feldwick (who had leave of absence from the Board during the whole of the Parliamentary session), 7. The number of meetings of the Executive Committee which each member attended during the year was as follows : George Lumsden, 25 ; T. M. Macdonald, 24; Thomas Denniston, 18; Alfred Baldey, 15; Henry Feldwick, 5 ; and James Mackintosh, 2. Attendance. —At the close of the year 1882 there were 66 schools in operation, being three m excess of the number for the previous year. The total number of children on the rolls at the beginning and end of the year respectively was 4,767 and 5,480, or an increase of 713. The working average attendance for 1881 was 3,776, and for 1882 4,284, showing an increase of 492. Full particulars regarding the attendance at each school during the year are supplied by Return No. 1, appended hereto.* Ages of Scholars. —In tfee following table are shown the ages of all the scholars on the roll for the last quarter of the year 1882, as compared with the corresponding quarter of 1881. It will be noticed that' the number of pupils under ten years of age is slightly in excess of those above that number, the ratio being 53 to 47.

* Appendix, page 56.