E.—lb.

tions the attention that is desirable. Of our own teachers I can only say that they fully recognise the value of good oral answering, and have made it one of the strongest features in our schools. Handwork is being undertaken in an increasing number of schools, and in many cases the progress made has been surprisingly good. In order that the difficulties inseparable from starting new work might be minimised, brush drawing was allowed to displace the whole of the drawing previously taken; but, as in a great measure these initial difficulties have been overcome, it is desirable to point out that geometry and scale drawing should not be omitted, but might well be taught together in Standard V. and less brush drawing taken in consequence. As scale drawing is, however, required in connection with some manual subjects, where these are undertaken such special attention as I have mentioned need not be given to it. Paper-folding, bricklaying, modelling, and so on have also been undertaken, though the difficulty in obtaining material has considerably impeded steady progress. I much prefer coloured bricks for bricklaying, and the coloured paper used at Home for paper-folding. Colour gives increased interest in the work, and increased interest causes an increased desire to produce the best possible work. Whatever one is interested in is done to the best of one's ability, and even in the case of adults hobbies for this very reason are prosecuted " for the joy of the working," and represent one's best efforts. Colour in the case of young children acts as a powerful means to an end, and should not lightly be disregarded. When brush drawing is undertaken I should like to see free-arm drawing undertaken also, as they are of mutual assistance, and produce better all-round training than either alone. During the year classes for the instruction of teachers in first aid, brush drawing, modelling, paper-folding, and mat-weaving were held in New Plymouth, and for instruction in brush drawing, modelling, and paper-folding in Stratford. The results of the examinations at the end of the terms were generally satisfactory. The introduction of handwork has, particularly in the lower classes, produced a marked beneficial effect on the development of the intelligence of the pupils. On the other hand, notwithstanding all that has been said about manual work, hand and eye training, and so on, it must be admitted that there still exists a great deal of misconception as to the educational aims and value of manual work in schools. Those who have given little thought to it are very ready in condemning it as a waste of time, though they may admit that wood-work "is not so bad" because it enables one to do odd jobs about a house, and that first aid also " may come in handy." But while some kinds of manual work may be of practical utility to some pupils after they leave school, the importance of all manual work is educational, training the eye to accurate observation, the hand to accurate manipulation, and consequently training the brain which governs both. And surely very little consideration must impel one to admit that a pupil who during his school course has had his faculties so trained will become a better man, and a more useful being on the veldt, on the farm, in the office, or in the workshop, even if after he leaves school he may never drive a nail, handle a saw, or see a piece of plasticine. But teachers also fail to look upon manual work in the proper light. They often look upon paper-folding, modelling, and so on, as new subjects instead of methods of teaching other subjects, and they are, moreover, inclined to look at the result of the work rather than to the training of eye, hand, and brain received in producing that result. In addition to their value as methods of teaching, manual subjects afford a valuable training, obtained in only a slight degree from the school subjects prescribed by the standard regulations. In this connection a quotation from my first annual report will serve as a parallel. I reported that " The instruction proceeds as though the subjects were utterly dissociated. Transcription is looked upon as writing exercise and that only, and consequently if the writing be satisfactory the whole is satisfactory, even if error after error occur in the spelling. In the same exercise proper names may be written with small letters, and punctuation may be omitted altogether, but, as these errors do not come within the scope of a writing lesson, little heed is paid to them. The weakness in spelling has been referred to, and permeates almost the whole of the work, composition in particular being frequently marred by it, an error not being heeded unless it occur in the dictation exercise. Again, an infraction of grammar is not corrected unless occurring in composition. Maps are used only in geography and are neglected when places are mentioned in the history lessons, the reading lessons, and the object lessons. There is thus an absence of coherence and unity militating against good educational results." This cannot now be applied generally to the subjects mentioned in the extract, but mutatis mutandis it does apply to manual work. This may arise in part from the fact that the teachers have not yet got that thorough command over the work that they have over the other subjects. Drawing, either with the pencil or with the brush, is very seldom utilised in object lessons, science, geography, matter of the reading lessons, and so on. Modelling is brought to bear in very small measure on the other subjects of the school course, and therefore one of the most valuable aids to instruction is not used to its fullest advantage. Handwork, including kindergarten work, must be looked upon as a means to an end, and not as the end itself; and when teachers fully realise this I have no doubt but that it will fall into its proper place in school training. Just as spelling is judged by general ability to spell as well as by the test from a specially prepared book, and as writing is judged by the general ability to write as well as by the work in the copy-books, so also must handwork be judged by its effect on the training in the general work as well as by the quality of the specially prepared exercises. As reported last year, the teachers as a whole exercised sound judgment in examining Standards I. to V., and in comparatively few instances have I found it necessary to disregard the results placed before me. At the same time, I must say that the experience of the past year showed that there was an increasing tendency to pass pupils who failed in two important subjects out of the five pass subjects, and who, on their average ability, were not qualified to cope with the work of the higher class. In arithmetic there was sometimes a considerable difference between the marks obtained at my annual visit, even though the teacher used in his test the cards issued in previous years by the Department. In composition, defects were not fully marked, and too low a

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