E.—s.

LOCAL EXAMINATIONS IN PLUMBING. The Board of Control is constituted as follows : J. E. Blair, Chairman of the Board of Education; A. D. Eiley, Director for Technical Instruction; E. S, Eounthwaite, City Engineer; E. A. Barry, Eepresentative of the Journeymen Plumbers ; J. F. Adams, Eepresentative of the Master Plumbers. The Board has met several times during the year and dealt with matters affecting the conduct of examinations and other subjects connected with the general work of sanitary classes conducted by the school. There can be no question of the value of such an advisory body in connection with this very important work. EXAMINATIONS. The usual examinations have been held during the year. In the higher-grade work there has been a considerable diminution of candidates, practically only those who found it necessary to present themselves for teaching or trade certificates coming forward. Wherever possible, students have been dissuaded from taking these examinations unless certificates are especially required. The number of certificates issued in all grades since the school was established in 1886 is 53,652, subdivided as follows: Primary or first grade, 44,750; intermediate or second grade, 4,857; higher or third grade, 1,605; South Kensington, 2,280; and the City and Guilds of London, 159. Second Grade (Local). —The total number of papers taken was 393, the subjects of examination being freehand drawing, geometry, perspective, model-drawing, memory drawing, light and shade, and brushwork. Of the 274 candidates examined, 212 passed. Of these, 49 obtained " excellent," and 49 " good." Third Grade (Local). —The total number of papers taken was 124. Of the 90 candidates examined, 84 passed ; of these, 9 obtained " excellent" and 18 " good." Board of Education, South Kensington. The school has again recorded considerable success in the National Art Competition under the above Board, Miss Kimbell having been awarded a National Bronze Medal and Miss Evatt a National Book Prize for the painting of an interior. The results of the personal examinations held under the above Board have not yet been received; the delay in this matter is a serious objection to the examination under this department. The constant alterations in the syllabus, of which we receive no intimation until the month the works are required to be forwarded, is a further objection. I would urge the adoption of a colonial examination in all branches of technical and art work, and a colonial national competition of art works, on the lines of the present English competitions. By this means the schools will be brought closer into touch with each other, the results will be quickly obtained, and greater efficiency secured. Free Studentships. Five of these studentships, which are available for two years, are offered by the Industrial Association, and six by the Education Board. They were awarded on the results of examinations in the following subjects : Plumbing, carpentry, mechanical engineering, building-construction, wood-carving, drawing, and painting. LIBBABY. The number of volumes contained in the library is as follows : Fine arts, 425 ; architecture and building-construction, 226 ; mechanical, 273 ; general, 521: making a total of 1,445 volumes— 140 more than last year. The number of works from the lending branch taken out by the students during the year was 1,088. The library is much valued by all sections of students. The space set apart for readers is too small, and the space for works exhausted. Another objectionable feature is that the office and library being combined leads to serious interruption of the office duties. MANUAL AND TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION ACT. The financial position of the school has considerably improved, owing to the conditions of working under the above Act. Although the balance-sheet shows a credit balance of £341 9s. 2d., there is included in the receipts the sum of £433 from the previous year's working, leaving a debit balance of £92. Against this a sum of £89 ss. has since been paid in; and for the first time in the school's existence the expenditure has been met with the exception of £2 15s. This has not come about without careful management and the obtaining of funds from every available source. It is easy enough to work an institution successfully when plenty of funds are available, but the present conditions are a constant source of anxiety to the managers. The apparatus of the school has been considerably increased during the year, with a correspondingly increased efficiency in the class-work generally. EXTENSION OF WOBK. Increased accommodation is an urgent necessity, and I sincerely hope that the City Council will, now that the Board has decided to come under the "associated classes" section of the Technical Instruction Act, see its way to assist with the necessary grant of land and additional funds. During the past year, and more especially during the present first quarter of 1903, I found considerable difficulty in accommodating the number of students enrolled. In addition to this, urgent workshop accommodation is required on behalf of the mechanical engineering, plumbing, carpentry and joinery, and pattern-making ; and class-rooms for electricity, building-construction, casting, lithography and photography, practical mechanics, commercial work, painting and decorating, &c. The library, owing to want of accommodation, cannot be properly arranged, and is overcrowded, whilst the office arrangements are most inconvenient.

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