45

8.—5

Material is now procured in bulk and stored in the office. Teachers will now receive their supplies during the month of February. The method of distribution effects a great saving, and enables schools, especially the smaller ones, to secure a better and larger supply of material. Wherever possible, supplies are procured direct from the warehouses. In view of the fact that so many of the schools now take advantage of the Manual and Technical Regulations, the time is opportune for the abolition of both Forms 111 and V. It should be sufficient on the certificate of the Inspector certifying that the regulations have been observed for the grant to be paid, of, say, Is. per unit of average attendance. Mr. Grant reports that during the year he has been engaged three days in the week in schoolwork, two days in teaching agriculture, biology, and botany, and on Saturdays in conducting classes in practical science for teachers. At the end of 1906 the number of schools where elementary agriculture was taught was forty-six, the number of pupils receiving instruction being 1,233. At the end of this year the number of schools has increased to eighty-one, and the number of pupils to 1,870. During the year 155 visits were paid to schools. Whilst at the schools the pupils were tested in agriculture and nature-knowledge, or given lessons in these subjects, or demonstrations in school gardens. In addition to this work, nearly six hundred packets of seeds, and almost half a ton of fertilisers were sent out to the schools. Regarding the outdoor operations, much valuable time is lost in doing unnecessary work. When no digging, weeding, hoeing, &c, need to be done, the time set apart for garden-work should be devoted to the observation of the habits of the plants and animals of the garden, or to the careful measurement of the garden-plots, or the whole garden. On the whole the tools are well looked after, but in some oases a little more attention might be devoted to keeping them clean. Classes for farmers were conducted at Manaia, Bull's, and Marton. The students enrolled numbered forty-two. They attended with very fair regularity. The subject studied in Manaia and Marton was elementary agricultural chemistry; in Bull's, farm practice. The students in the Manaia and Marton classes did a considerable amount of practical work. Several students are conducting field experiments which were suggested during the progress of the lessons. Judging from conversations with a large number of farmers, the subjects best suited for these classes is agricultural chemistry—a course wide enough to enable them to read the literature of farming easily and intelligently. Classes for teachers were conducted on Saturdays, the first half of the year in Wanganui, the second half in Palmerston Xorth. In Wanganui practical botanj- was the subject studied; in Palmerston North, practical agricultural chemistry. Each course consisted of twenty lessons. The total number of students enrolled was fifty-seven. An examination was held at the close of each course and twenty-six certificates were gained. The Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association, the Feilding Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and the Wanganui Horticultural Society have again done their part in encouraging the study of practical elementary agriculture by offering substantial prizes for various phases of garden-work. Practical biology and botany was taken on Friday afternoons and evenings in the Wanganui Technical School laboratory. The average roll was fifteen. The results of the special experiments carried out at Halcombe last year were published in pamphlet form. The potatoes grown in the course of the experiments were distributed among a number of schools, but, from reports received, they have not grown well. The work this year is being conducted by Mr. J. T. Robson. Mr. Browne reports that during the year twenty school classes in dairy-work have been taken in nineteen schools. These classes have been held in the Hawera and Feilding districts. In the former the average attendance was 22; in the latter, 218. The schools that took the work are Okaiawa, Manaia, Auroa, Kapuni, Kaponga, Mangatoki, Eltham, Matapu, Hawera (2), Sandon, Bongotea, Kairanga, Stoney Creek, Colyton, Bunnythorpe, Lytton Street, Cheltenham, Taonui, and Awahuri. Sickness considerably interfered with the attendance, otherwise the average would have been higher. Besides these classes, one for adults has been conducted at Hawera (average 75); Manaia (96) ; Eltham (B'6) ; and Rongotea (144). Classes for teachers only were held at Hawera (5) and Feilding (13). At Hawera an hour per week was given to instructing pupil-teuchers in agricultural botany. During next year a number of teachers intend taking up the subject of dairywork in their schools after a course either in adult classes or in those for teachers. A certain amount of supervision will be required in these cases, so that it will not be possible to take as many continuous classes as in the present year. Now that such an excellent set of apparatus is supplied to each school, expenses in running the classes should be much reduced. Miss Mollison reports that she held weekly cookery classes at W r anganui and Hawera from February till October. There were eight classes in Wanganui; roll-number, 158; average attendance, 145: thiee classes in Hawera; roll-number, 60; average, 52. The equipment in both centres is fairly complete, but Fahrenheit thermometers and extra sets of scales are required to make the teaching more efficient. Diagrams of the animals most commonly used for food, showing the different parts, would also be an advantage. A teachers' class was also held for two sessions, with an average attendance of eight. Three of the teachers sat for the City and Guilds Examination, and gained first-class certificates. Miss Fergus reports that cookery classes were held weekly at the following centres : Palmerston North, Feilding, and Marton. The roll-number was 238, the average attendance 214. In Feilding and Marton the work has been carried on under great disadvantages, owing to the rooms not being at all suitable, but this difficulty will be obviated next year at Marton ; possibly also at Feilding. The children have, on the whole, worked well and taken a keen interest in their work. It would bo