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proceeding which will approve itself to all well-wishers of the profession. While writing of the health of the students, it is with sorrow that I here record the first death among the students during the five years since the establishment of the College. Miss Eobb, one of our most cheerful, robust, and promising students, died from the effects of a cold caught through getting wet and travelling in the train in that condition. At the Saturday classes there has been an average attendance of 150 uncertificated and pupilteachers ; while besides these forty-two teachers holding certificates have attended to qualify themselves in one or more of the subjects, singing, drawing, and drill. The majority of those who attend on Saturdays are now either pupil- or uncertificated teachers, as several of the certificated teachers have succeeded in obtaining exemption by qualifying themselves to teach the subjects mentioned above. The disproportion between the number of male and female pupil-teachers is as large as ever, for whilo there are 104 females on the roll, there are only five males. At the Monday and Thursday afternoon classes held for the benefit of pupil-teachers there is at present not a single male pupil-teacher attending; thus showing that there is not one in the city or suburban schools. This is greatly to be lamented, as it points to future difficulties in supplying the place of head teachers. I should like to say a word on behalf of our pupil-teachers. While agreeing in principle with those who do not believe in the pupil-teacher system, yet for various practical reasons the State will doubtless require for some time to maintain such a system; and hence I consider it my duty to point out what I believe a hardship. Many pupil-teachers are placed in charge of, and actually try to teach, very large classes, and are held responsible for the work of the same. Now, while a pupil-teacher of the third year ought to be able to conduct an average class or section of a class fairly, it is positive cruelty to place one of the first or second year in sole charge of a standard when the class is large. Many are frequently discouraged by the amount of work put upon them by their head teachers, and it originates in them a dislike for teaching. As nearly all our teachers are now drawn from the ranks of the pupil-teachers, it is well that every precaution be taken to prevent young teachers being overworked, and thus becoming fagged and weary. The correspondence with the uncertificated country teachers was continued throughout the year, with much the same results as formerly. Some who have been corresponding for years seem not. to improve in the slightest, while others seem to derive genuine benefit from the help so obtained. I know full well the difficulties of country teachers in their work, but still I think that the examination is, from a test point of view, low enough to be required from all after a reasonable amount of preparation. During the recent holidays many of the teachers whom I met while in the country districts expressed to me their great pleasure at having the teachers' examination finished before Christmas. I cannot conclude this report without thanking my colleagues for their hearty support throughout the past year. I have, &c, A. McAethub, M.A., LL.B., Principal. The Chairman, Board of Education, Auckland.

WELLINGTON. Principal's Eepobt. Sib,— Training College, 10th March, 1886. I have the honour to submit my sixth annual report on the working of the Wellington Training College; and Ido so this year with some advantages, as the earlier publication of the cer-tificate-examination results enables me more accurately to estimate the work done. The number of students in 1885 was slightly below the average of previous years. We commenced work in March with ten, of whom six were newly admitted; of the remaining four two had been with us as E students throughout 1884, and the others had been admitted late in that year, but only formally commenced their studies in 1885. There were nine subsequent admissions, and only two withdrawals, so that for the last few months of the year our roll-number was seventeen. Of these fifteen were females. Thirteen were public students, receiving bursaries, and four were private students paying their own expenses. The public students comprised ten from our own district, and three from Hawke's Bay: eleven were either pupil-teachers who had completed their term of service or assistants in public schools; the other two were pupil-teachers who had not passed their final examinations. Of the four private students, two had had no previous experience of the work, and two had been private-school teachers. The two students who left received appointments in the city schools. But, although our numbers were small, the great disparity of attainment, the delay in publishing the results of the previous certificate examination, the earlier date fixed for the next, the anticipated greater severity of that test, the lateness of some entries, an unusual amount of sickness and consequent irregularity of attendance, and the unsettlement incidental to change of quarters, gave us plenty of work. The backwardness of some students compelled us to subdivide the E group. Four of its members could not be presented for examination at all, and three others should have been kept back had it not been a matter of urgency to them, as private students, to obtain a certificate if possible. They made gallant efforts to do two or three years' work in one, but were doomed to disappointment after all. They all failed to obtain classification at the recent examination, as did one other, whose failure I cannot so easily explain, although I acquit the candidate heartily of all blame. We had at different times five students in the D division. The fluctuations in it were great hindrances to effective work. The following statement exhibits them :A B commenced work in March, left in April; C D commenced in March, left in June ; E P commenced in May, G H corn-