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Technical School.—Eeport of the Art Master. Sir— Wanganui, 13th March, 1893. I have the honour to submit the following report in connection with the above school during the year 1892. The school was opened on the 20th September, immediately the building was completed. The arrangement of rooms is found to answer in every respect the requirements of the work at present, but the lighting for evening work is not so satisfactory as it might be. This is generally found to be a difficulty in rooms for art work, which is only overcome by experience in each case. I hesitate to suggest the " Onslow " lamps (such as is used in the Board room) because of the first cost, but I find that by recent improvements this will be almost saved in two years by reason of the reduced cost of gas consumed, apart from the fact that they are much better adapted to the requirements of the work. As the school opened on the 20th September, the students were only at work during the last term of the year. The casts and appliances, which were expected from London in time for the opening, did not arrive during the term, so that the work was carried on at a considerable disadvantage. The few examples and models provided by the Board, however, enabled a beginning to be made in all classes. The numbers of students who attended the different classes during the term were as follows : Morning—drawing and painting, 7. Evening—drawing and painting, 16 ; engineering, 3; architecture, 3; arithmetic, 8 ; shorthand, 11. Saturday art classes for teachers and pupil-teachers under the Board, 50. Girls' College, painting class, 4. Total, 102. Although some very creditable work was done by students attending the morning and evening art classes during the three months we were open, I thought it advisable, as the studies were all of an elementary nature, and the casts had not arrived from London, to postpone the public exhibition of students' work till the end of 1893. The small number of students who joined the engineering and architectural classes is due, I think, partly to the fact that many who would have joined the classes did not know of their existence, and that others who did were not prepared to go through the preliminary course of freehand and geometry required by the syllabus of their work. A more liberal system of advertising in the local newspapers, together with leaflets in connection with each subject for distribution to the apprentices and men in the workshops, would, I think, be the means of increasing the attendance. The preliminary freehand and geometry, although highly advisable, might be incorporated with the technical drawing connected with the work of these classes. The attendance of fifty at the Saturday art class for teachers, between 12 and 3, was more than I could instruct unaided. I therefore took the town teachers from 10 to 1, and the country teachers from 12 to 3; the hour common to both classes—namely, from 12 to I—being devoted to lectures on second grade, perspective, and geometry. From 1.30 to 2.30 was devoted to lectures on the work as required by the primary-school syllabus—namely, Standards I. to VI., freehand ; Standard IV., plane geometry; Standard V., scale drawing; Standard VI., solid geometry and model drawing. I have, &c, The Chairman of the Wanganui Education Board. David Blair, Art Master.

WELLINGTON. Sir,— Wellington, 31st March, 1893. In accordance with section 102 of " The Education Act, 1877," I have the honour to present the following report for the year ending 31st December, 1892 : — Board. —At the commencement of the year the Board consisted of the following members: Messrs. J. E. Blair (Chairman), G. Beetham, W. C. Buchanan, A. W. Brown, F. H. Fraser, W. W. McCardle, Dr. Newman, Eev. J. Paterson, and J. Young. On the 31st March Messrs. J. E. Blair, G. Beetham, and Dr. Newman, who retired by rotation, were re-elected, no other candates being nominated. An extraordinary vacancy occurred in consequence of the resignation of Mr. Brown. Two candidates were nominated to fill the vacancy, and the voting resulted in the election of Mr. W. A. Fitzherbert. Twelve ordinary and two special meetings were held during the year, with the following attendance of members: Mr. Fraser, 14 ; Dr. Newman, 14; Mr. J. E. Blair, 13 ; Bey. J. Paterson, 12 ; Mr. Young, 11; Mr. Beetham, 10; Mr. McCardle, 10; Mr. Fitzherbert, 7 ; Mr. Buchanan, 5 ; Mr. Brown, 1. A thorough examination of all accounts is made by the Finance Committee before each monthly meeting. Matters affecting the Technical School are dealt with by the Special Committee, but the business does not call for regular meetings. At the first meeting after the election of the three retiring members, Mr. J. E. Blair was unanimously elected Chairman, and the following standing committees constituted: Finance—Dr. Newman, G. Beetham, F. H. Fraser, Eev. J. Paterson; Technical School—G. Beetham, F. H. Fraser, Dr. Newman, J. Young; Pupil-teacher Selection for City, Hutt County, and West Coast—G. Beetham, F. H. Fraser, J. Young; Pupil-teacher Selection for Wairarapa —G. Beetham, W. C. Buchanan, and W. W. McCardle : the Chairman to be ex officio a member of each Committee. Schools. —At the close of the year there were eighty-seven schools in operation, with 11,846 children on the books, an increase of 671 on the. previous year's numbers. Of these, 162 were Maoris. For the purpose of classification these schools are arranged as follows: Under 15 pupils in average attendance, five ; 15 and under 20 pupils, ten ; 20 and under 25 pupils, seven ; 25 and under 50 pupils, twenty-four; 50 and under 75 pupils, ten ; 75 and under 100 pupils, six ; 100 and under 150 pupils, eight; 150 and under 300 pupils, seven ; 300 and under 500 pupils, seven ; 500 pupils and upwards, three. Of these, eleven were aided schools. The teachers in the Board's service were: Heads of school—male, 42 ; female, 9 : total, 51. Sole teachers —Male, 16 ; female, 20: total, 36. Assistants—Male, 28 ; female, 47: total, 75. Pupil-teachers—Male, 12 ; female, 116 : total, 128, Sewing-teachers —Female, 8. Total, 298.