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boys the matriculation examination. O. Gillespie, S. Steel, F. Kissel won Senior Scholarships given by the North Canterbury Board of Education. A. H. Cutler obtained second place in order of merit among those who passed the Junior Civil Service examination. Five others passed the Senior and eight the Junior Civil Service Examination. Among old pupils, A. G. Henderson won the John Tinline Scholarship of the New Zealand University, and T.. A. Murphy the Senior University Scholarship for political science. G. Lancaster obtained his M.A. degree with double first-class honours in mathematics and chemistry; H. Craddock his M.A. with second-class honours in Latin and Greek, and J. M. Waddell his M.A. degree with second-class honours in Latin and English. Museum. The annual report of the Curator of the Museum is attached, and, amongst other things, recounts a very valuable donation of Maori implements by E. W. Eoper, Esq. Through the liberality of the Hon. W. Eolleston, the following inscription has been cut in stone over the portico of the Museum building : " Lo, these are parts of His ways ; but how little a portion is heard of Him " — (Job xxvi., verse 14). School op Art. This department has been enriched by the presentation by the Maharajah of Jeypore of " The Jeypore Portfolio of Architectural Details," comprising six large volumes. Various economies have been found necessary in this department, as also a rearrangement of the fees. The Art Master's report is attached. The Public Library. Reference Department. —During the year ending the 30th June, a very valuable gift of books, consisting of 270 volumes, has been made by the executors of the late George Williamson Hall to this department. The Eev. Charles Turrell has also presented ninety volumes of the " New Monthly Magazine and Universal Begister," dating from the year 1814 to 1849. Dr. Hacon has contributed eighty-nine books to those previously in this department, while Dr. Ovenden has added five valuable works. The Eoyal Society has sent us several sheets of the " International Geological Congress Map of Europe," and Mr. P. Haultain has presented a work on " The Palaeontology of New Zealand," by Dr. F. yon Hochstetter. A handsome volume, "The Architectural Eemains of Anuradhapura," has been forwarded from the Government of Ceylon. The Smithsonian Society has forwarded two parts of the " Geological Survey of the United States." In all 597 volumes have been added during the year, bringing the total number of books up to 10,097. The new catalogue for this department is making fair progress. Additional shelving will shortly be necessary. The outer walls of the building have lately received three coats of composition to keep out the damp. Eighteen magazines are placed on the table. Circulating Department.— -The Board is aware that by the will of Mr. James Gammack, late of Springston, farmer, deceased, the testator, after bequeathing certain legacies, has vested the whole of his residuary estate in his trustees upon trust, "To pay the net annual income thereof to the Board of Governors, to be applied for the benefit of the Circulating Department of the Public Library." The total area of the lands subject to the provisions of the will is 1,678 acres 3 roods. It must, however, be borne in mind that, under the provisions of the will, the annuities at present payable out of the income of the estate aggregate between £700 and £800. Consequently, some little time must elapse before the finances of the circulating library are very materially benefited by the bequest. This department was closed from the 25th December to the sth January for the annual cleaning and stocktaking, when 150 books were found to be missing. The subscribers are steadily increasing in number, and now amount to 1,612. Additional shelving will shortly be required. Seventy-one magazines are placed on the table monthly, and twelve newspapers. The total number of volumes in this department is as follows : History, 1,205; fiction, 7,772; travels, 1,515; biography, 1,348; science, 806 ; literature, 936 ; poetry and drama, 345 ; architecture, 319; magazines, 917; miscellaneous, 1,037: total, 16,200. Catalogues are published every six months and are now up to the 31st March last. Beading-room. —The attendance continues large, and it has been found necessary to erect a new reading-desk. The following newspapers are filed : English, 6 ; Irish, 1; Scottish, 1; American, 1; Australian Colonies, 9; New Zealand, about 40; magazines, 15. School of Agriculture. The thanks of the Board are due to the members of the Board of Advice—Hon. W. Eolleston, Messrs. H. Overton, D. McMillan, W. Boag, and E. H. Ehodes—-for their continued zeal in forwarding the interests of the School of Agriculture, and for their frequent visits of inspection to Lincoln. A new schedule of duties and powers has been adopted for the Board of Advice, and it is proposed that the members should be more closely associated with the Committee of the School of Agriculture. School op Engineering and Technical Science. The professor in charge reported : — " For the first time the degree of Bachelor of Science in Engineering has been conferred in the colony, two students, Messrs. G. A. Julius and J. Parr, having very successfully passed the final examinations. The following table shows the number of students who have attended lectures since the school was founded in 1890, and the hour-attendances per week since 1893 :— Year. 1890. 1891. 1892. 1893. 1894. 1895. 1896. Number of students ... 53 63 62 64 59 67 77 Number of hour-attend-) Ar , -, nln „». „„„ „„.. , \ No accurate record 219 254 308 391 ances per week ) (The figures for 1896 are for the first term only.)