E.—B

4

in the school. In future all scholars and all boys under fourteen years on the Ist December preceding date of admission who have obtained qualifying marks at the Junior National Scholarship and Free Place Examinations, or at the Education Board Scholarship Examination, will be entitled to junior free places, and they may qualify at these examinations coming from any school —secondary, private, or public. Senior free places, tenable until the holder reaches his nineteenth birthday, will be given to any boy who passes Matriculation Examination, or the Junior Civil Service Examination with credit; also to any boy who, being under sixteen, passes the Junior Civil Service Examination or qualifies for a Senior Education Board Scholarship. M. Malaquin was granted leave of absence from the end of August, for six months, in order to visit Europe. The distinctions won during the year were as follows : Among former pupils, Mr. J. G. Lancastei obtained his B.Sc. with double first-class honours in mathematics and electricity; Mr. A. E. Currie obtained his M.A. with second-class honours in English and French ; and Mr. H. G. Denham, M.A. with first-class honours in chemistry. Mr. F. Kissell obtained his B.Sc. in engineering, and Mr. J. R. Cunningham his LL.B. Messrs. C. M. Stubbs and T. H. Harrison won exhibitions at Canterbury College for mathematics and chemistry respectively. Mr. R. W. McCullough won the Sir George Grey Scholarship at Otago University. Mr. A. B. Webster obtained his M.A. at Edinburgh with first-class honours, and was appointed lecturer in English literature at Edinburgh University. Of present pupils, D. B. MacLeod won a Junior University Scholarship ; D. L. Sinclair, C. M. Bevan-Brown, and A. H. Amess were placed on the credit list; eight boys passed Matriculation or Medical Preliminary ; four passed the Junior Civil Service Examination with credit, and out of the nine Senior Scholarships given by the Board of Education six were won by pupils of the school. It is right to mention among the distinctions of the year that the school won the President's Cup at football, and the Secondary Schools' Cup at the amateur athletic meeting. It is also a pleasure to record the fact that three of the New Zealand football team who have recently been visiting England were old pupils of the school —viz., Messrs. R. G. Deans, E. T. Harper, and H. D. Thompson. The school roll at the end of the year was 190, of whom 13 were in the Preparatory Class. This class is doing excellent work under Mr. Sidney Clark. Mr. A. G. Johnson, who was appointed temporarily, left at the end of the year, and it was decided that the vacancy should not be filled up for the present. The Board asked the Inspector-General, to conduct an examination of the school at the end of 1905 ; at the last moment he sent word that he would be unable to do so, and the school was examined by the staff. The three upper forms—most of whose members were in for the University examinations —were judged by the examinations of the first and second terms and the class marks of the second and third terms, but were not examined at the end of the third term in order to avoid the strain of a school examination coming immediately before the Matriculation and Junior Scholarship Examinations. The bulk of the school, however, were examined in the third term, and had their work assessed by combining the results of the examinations and class marks of the second and third terms. Special examinations were held by Professor Wall for the Miller Prize in English Literature, by Professor Blunt for oral French, and by Mr. C. F. Bourne for the Newspaper Prize, who spoke favourably of the work done. Christchurch Public Library. Reference Department. —ln this department 147 volumes have been added by purchase, and 145 volumes and pamphlets were presented during the year, bringing the total number of volumes and pamphlets up to 15,654. The American Machinist has been placed on the tables, and the Illustrated Official Journal of Patents (England) is now sent out regularly from the Patent Office, London. The Monthly Musical, Musical Standard, and Musical Times, which have been donated by the Society of Musicians since 1893, have been stopped. From the 19th February, 1905, the Reference Library was opened on Sundays from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m., but on account of the few attending was closed at the end of the year. From the 14th November, 1904, this department, which was formerly closed at 9 p.m., was kept open an hour later, but on account of the few taking advantage of it it was decided to revert back to the old system of closing at 9 p.m. from the Ist January, 1906. So far as can be ascertained no books have been stolen during the past year. . More shelving will soon be required for the books in this department. Reading-room. —This department is very largely attended. The gallery set apart for ladies was closed at the end of the year, as the few attending it (averaging less than six daily) did not warrant the extra expenditure. Circulating Department. —This department was closed from the Bth till the 11th January for distempering the walls and cleaning, advantage being taken at the time to go over the books thoroughly, with the result that 621 volumes have been destroyed on account of their dirty and dilapidated condition. Of this number, 597 represent fiction, 5 travels, 17 magazines (bound), 1 history, and 1 literature. In addition to the above, during the year 237 volumes have been taken off as unfit for issue, representing 219 fiction, 10 magazines, 5 biography, 2 history, and 1 miscellaneous transferred to the Reference Department. 862 volumes have been added during the year. The average number of subscribers during the year was 1,869. A manuscript catalogue is now kept on the counter for the use of subscribers, but the need of a printed one, bringing it up to date, is much felt.' At the present time subscribers have to go through all the monthly lists to find out what books there are in the library. The magazine-room, which was kept open until 10 p.m. during the year, is now closed at 9 p.m. as formerly, on account of the small attendance during the extra hour.