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SOUTHLAND. Extract from the .Report of the Education Board. It is unnecessary that any lengthy reference should here be made to the work of manual and technical instruction as carried on under the Board's control, seeing that the Director of Technical Instruction will furnish a special report dealing with this subject. It will be sufficient to state that substantial progress has been made during the year in the various forms of work introduced under the provisions of the Manual and Technical Instruction Act and Regulations, and that the financial results of the year's operations, as shown in the Director's balance-sheet, have been quite satisfactory. In the early part of the year the Board undertook the erection of the first section of the proposed new Technical School —rooms for cookery and woodwork classes—at a cost of £557, such amount being received from the Government as a first instalment of the special vote promised for this purpose. The completion of the building will be amongst the most important works to be undertaken during the coming year. Taking advantage of the provisions of section 26, (c), of regulations made under the Manual and Technical Instruction Acts of 1900 and 1902, the Board, early in the year, made arrangements for the teaching of sewing in all schools where the average attendance did not exceed forty by the appointment of a sewing mistress in cases where the school was in charge of a male teacher. Though in most instances the amount of fees to be earned (10s. per pupil in average attendance per annum) was not very enticing, still the Board succeeded in securing the services of fairly competent instructors for nearly all the positions advertised. There were during the year forty-three sewing-teachers employed, and to these the sum of £215 10s. 9d. was paid by way of pro raid, capitation earned during the last nine months of the year. The Board has for years past advocated the introduction of some system whereby the girls of all schools should receive tuition in this useful art, and notes with satisfaction the consummation of their desire in the regulations framed under the Acts above referred to. The Board has again to acknowledge the liberal provision made by the Department for the instruction of teachers in manual and technical subjects. The special vote of £150 made for this purpose was duly received. Saturday classes for teachers in woodwork and cookery were organized at Invercargill and Gore respectively, and the work of instruction prosecuted with vigour during a period of about eight months. The classes were, on the whole, well attended, and considerable progress was made, as is evidenced by./the success achieved by students from this district in the examinations conducted by the City and Guilds of London Institute, the record being as follows : In cookery, 7 students were credited with first-class, and 18 students with second-class passes. In woodwork, 9 students passed in the examination prescribed for the first year, while 3 obtained a pass (with first-class honours) and 2 (with second-class honours) in the final examination. Extract from, the Report of the Inspectors of Schools. We must refer, in passing, to the work done by the teachers at the special classes organized last winter. The Board has already indicated its appreciation of the application and the zeal of the students, so many of whom, by their success at the City and Guilds of London Institute Examinations, reflected credit on themselves and on their teachers. Classes in cookery and woodwork will again be organized, •and, in order that the available time may be utilised to the best advantage, classes in science will also, we hope, be established. It is eminently to be desired that the teachers who were successful at the recent examinations will not allow their skill and knowledge to remain unused, but will endeavour to give their pupils and the community the benefit of their special training. Extract from the Report of the Director of Technical Instruction. Central Technical and Continuation Classes. These classes were not quite so well attended as were those of last year, the numbers being 252 and 172 in the first and second terms respectively, as against 273 and 205 in the corresponding terms of the previous year. The decline in the attendance is, I think, partly attributable to the establishment of a thoroughly equipped gymnasium in the town, presided over by a competent instructor, and in view of the attention which is now given to physical development, several attended at this institution who otherwise might possibly have attended one or other of the evening classes. These fluctuations in the attendance may, however, always be looked for in towns with a small population such as Invercargill, and need cause no foreboding. The most popular class was that of cookery, a tribute to the enthusiasm and capability of the instructor, and also to the good sense of the lady members of our community. The eveningclass overflowed into a day class, a very pleasing circumstance indeed. Sufficient students were not found to justify the establishment of the classes in perspective, painting, chemistry, plumbing, laundry-work, Latin, and mathematics, but the other classes on the syllabus were successfully conducted through two terms, with the exception of the photography class, which was carried on for one term only. Through the generosity of the Board the pupil-teachers of the town and suburban schools were allowed to attend the freehand and model drawing classes free. Fifteen pupil-teachers took advantage of this concession, and their attendance may be regarded as very satisfactory on the whole. An exhibition of the work of the students in attendance at the various classes was held at the end of the session, and again attracted considerable attention. Gore, Mataura, &c, Technical and Continuation Classes. Technical and continuation classes were held this year at Gore and Mataura, and continuation classes at Arrowtown, Fernhills, Oteramika Gorge, Papatotara, and Waimumu. lam sorry that I cannot report very cheerfully on the work at either Mataura or Gore, though, for its population, the Mataura classes have succeeded fairly well. The classes conducted at Mataura were dressmaking and singing, with a total of eighteen students in attendance during the first term. At Gore, although a