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connection with the transmission of our mails, Singapore has importance for us as the converging point of trade routes from New Zealand and a new centre for its defence. The state of the London wool market is immensely interesting for New Zealand. On the other hand, the lakes of Scotland and the names of the rivers of Siberia have only a remote and contingent importance, an interest that may be met by incidental mention before the map when occasion requires. Geography Course Ais intended to be a reasoning on the geographical phenomena observed in the neighbourhood of the school. It is eminently meant to be taken at first hand and not by medium of the book, although a book may be a useful source of suggestion for the teacher — e.g., the question " What is meant by ' noon' ? " may be best explained by observation and experiment with a shadow-post. One child's answer was :" It means that it is dinner-time." Weather-charts are in use in a number of the schools, and connected with them were flower-calendars, notes on the phases of the moon, &c. Mr. Strong, of Wanganui, in his lectures at the winter school, gave many valuable suggestions for this part of the work. Drawing.— Geometric: The elementary notions supposed to be taught lower classes were not always satisfactory. The teaching of those notions gives a training [in abstraction which is a valuable part of the primary course, more especially when as with Froebel's gifts it is reached immediately from the concrete. Scale. —A few drawings in each class correlating the work with instruction in geography will be sufficient to teach the principle of this branch of drawing. It may also be taken in interesting fashion with nature-study. As an instance of correlation of subjects the following may be done : Take a crosssection of a branch of a tree showing pronounced markings. First draw it in pencil and secure good pencil-work, showing annular rings, medullary rays, pith, &c. ; then draw it to scale, and afterwards the mass appearance may be shown with the brush, and design may be elaborated from the markings. While the drawing is proceeding many interesting observations may be made in regard to the flow of sap, growth of wood, &c. The large mandible of some insects may also be used to teach pencil-work, scale drawing, brush drawing, observation, adaptation. So also a study may be made of the different kinds of teeth of carnivorous animals, with current of the various shapes. A cross-section of a stove may also be suggested. The drawing of conventional curves and figures taught pencil-work, symmetry, proportion, and in expert hands even radiation, balance, &c. ; but there is every reason why drawing should also borrow interest from science, and teach observation, adaptability, cause and effect, &c. In this subject, as in all others, a diary of the work done should be kept. In the above way all the requirements of the syllabus may be easily covered in pencil-work, scale drawing, nature-study drawing, brush, model, and geometric, in two hours each week. In quite a number of schools the teachers presented good samples of object-drawing (by pencil and by brush) ; but many others had kept to the drawing of conventional figures. Brush drawing has made considerable progress. Both nature-study drawing and design are cultivated, and progress and freedom may be expected in 1906. Model-drawing shows improvement, the teachers' Saturday class evidently bearing good fruit. Teachers' Instruction Classes in Drawing. —Miss Brown continued with success the Saturday class in brush drawing that had been instituted in 1904. Miss Ellerbeck was afterwards specially retained, and taught Saturday classes in brush, blackboard, nature-study, and model drawing. She was also employed in showing some of the teachers in their own schools how to practically adapt the subjects to the children. Singing was taught in twenty-one schools during 1904. Last year the number advanced to thirtynine. At the winter school opportunity was taken to show the younger members of the staff how to teach the elements of the Sol-fa system. Mr. D. A. Sturrock was very successful with the subject intrusted to him. Modern science never despairs of any organ of the body. If it be made to function, power will increase. The pupil must be taught to use an observing mind behind his ear, and his larynx will develop flexibility by use. Such thoughts may lend a hope to teachers who are beginning to plough hitherto unfurrowed soil, and think the work hard and hopeless. There is room for a more extended course of deep-breathing exercises as part of the drill and of the singing. It is said that the Japanese, in their athletic training, make much of deep-breathing. The modern educationist believes in making the pupil on all sides susceptible to the influence of his environment. One faculty sometimes begins to operate through activity in other faculties. The region of song presents a large field of peculiar experience : " Tones are of all kinds, solemn, joyous, lively, sad, contemplative, discordant —suggestive 'of bitterness and hate ; harmonious and sweet —suggestive of love and agreement." If one is rendered consciously susceptible to such feelings, there, cannot fail to be a good reaction in the other mental tracts. I hope, therefore, to see the progress made in the teaching of singing continued and extended. Needlework. —There was a marked improvement in the needlework, especially i i the smaller schools. The samples taken from sc' ools wher good work was done, and distributed or shown mong those where the work was taught with less success, evidently stimulated effort in this direction. Those who taught the subject well were also pleased to have some standard whereby to gauge their own accomplishment. Physical Instruction.—During 1905 progress was made under this head also. Of the thirteen schools returned last year as not presenting pupils in drill, nine had undertaken the work, two were closed, and in two the subject was still neglected. In six other schools, owing to broken time or to the fact that they were newly opened, defect was observed. The larger schools all acquit themselves well in drill, and some of them improved in. the readiness and alacrity with which the various movements were executed. A battalion has been instituted and three parades were held. The United States has a military academy at West Point, to which each State is entitled to send one cadet per annum for special training. If each district in New Zealand had a scholarship of this cla.ss instituted, th cadet movement would doubtless feel a new impulse. During the Russo-Japanese war the Russian fleet