E.—s.

but this year an attempt has been made to as far as possible unify the courses of instruction throughout the district —an attempt that, owing to the lack of facilities as regards acccommodation and suitable apparatus, has been but partly successful. Under these circumstances, it was necessary that considerable attention should be given to securing adequate equipment for carrying on practical work, for, with the exception of poorly equipped science and art rooms at Hawera, this was sadlylacking. Very gratifying support has been received in this work, both from local bodies and private individuals, with the result that thoroughly up-to-date centres are now erected at Eltham and Patea, and it is hoped that Hawera and Manaia will be in the same fortunate position before the work for 1908 commences in March next. The following donations have been subscribed or promised: Eltham, £72; Hawera, £2.00; Patea, £102; Manaia, £80: total, £454. This, with the subsidy it carries, will give over £900 to assist with the Government grants in the erection and equipment of the different centres. Though technical classes have this year been held for the first time in some of the centres of the district, the work throughout has had its scope much confined through lack of accommodation. Nevertheless, under rather trying conditions, technical instruction in the application of scientific knowledge to the dairying industry, with special reference to testing and analysis of milk, has been carried on at Manaia, Eltham, and Hawera, and, with the fully equipped laboratories which will next year be provided at these places, this branch of technical training will receive the attention which, in a district of this kind, it so merits. The establishment of classes in practical and theoretical work for plumbers at Hawera and Eltham has resulted in several students presenting themselves for the examination recently conducted by the Department of Public Health. The results of this examination are not yet to hand. At Manaia a very successful class in agriculture was conducted by Mr. Grant. The other classes throughout the district —dressmaking, millinery, drawing and painting, commercial work, photography, commercial law, electricity, English, Latin, and mathematics—have been on the whole well supported, and have done satisfactory work. The great difficulty- in small centres, and one which can only be overcome by the adoption of a complete staff of travelling instructors, such as the Board proposes to appoint, is the impossibility of obtaining locally persons who possess both the knowledge and the necessary teaching capabilities to handle many of the subjects for which there is a desire. My report would bo incomplete without making a special reference to the enthusiastic interest taken in technical education by the residents of Eltham and surrounding district. All classes of the community are keenly alive to the advantages of modern technical instruction, and there is no doubt that all facilities offered by the Board will be taken advantage of to the full. Eltham, in fact, might also be a better administrative centre for the district than Hawera, for it certainly promises to be the better educational centre. Throughout the year the teaching staff have worked enthusiastically under what have often been trying conditions. The life of a travelling instructor in this district in winter-time is scarcely to be envied. Great assistance in the advancement of technical education has been,readily given by teachers throughout the district, and particular mention should be made of the painstaking efforts of Messrs. Thomas and Law, of Eltham and Manaia respectively, both of whom have been of great .service to the Board in assisting with the conduct of classes in their towns. A. Hintz. Statement of Receipts and, Expenditure for the Year ending Slst. December, 1907, in respect of Special Clares conducted at Apiti, Ashhurst, Bull's, Bunnythorpe, Colyton, Eltham, Feilding, Halcombe, Hawera, Hunterrille, Kimbolton., Marton, Manaia, Mangatoki, Matapu, Normanby, Patea, Pohangina, Rongotea, Taihape, Turakina, Waverley, and Wanganui. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. dCapitation on special classes .. .. 537 17 5 Balance at beginning of year .. .. 1,587 16 6 Capitatiou on account of free places .. 474 17 2 Salaries of instructor .. .. .. 8,456 15 11 Buildings .. .. .. .. 761 12 6 j Office expenses (including salaries, staRent .. .. .. .. •• 72 18 0 | tionery, &c.) .. .. .. .. 154 7 0 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 772 66 I Advertising and printing .. .. 132 11 3 Material .. .. .. .. 58 6 11 I Lighting and heating and cleaning .. 191 1 5 Subsidies on voluntary contributions .. 442 2 9 | Insurance and repairs .. .. .. 215 0 Pees .. .. .. .. •- 1,662 2 9 j Rent .. .. .. .. .. 90 4 0 Voluntary contributions .. 1,130 19 8 i Examinations, &c. .. .. .. 7 12 0 Material, &c, sold .. .. .. 46 6 9 ; Material for class use .. .. .. 194 17 6 Interest on deposit .. .. •. 012 0 Scholarships .. .. .. .. 84 0 0 Unpresented choque .. .. .. 110 0 Library and prizes .. .. .. 96 8 7 Transfer from Rees Bequest Fund Acoount Telephone .. .. .. .. 5 5 3 for purchase of apparatus .. .. 15 18 7 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 18 911 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 4,480 16 9 \ Contracts, architect, &c. .. .. 2,895 12 1 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 1,540 11 10 £10,458 8 3 £10,458 8 3 W. J. Carson, Secretary. Extract from the Report of the Controlling Authority of the Palmerston North Technical School. Until 1907 Mr. Vernon, M.A., B.Sc, had been acting as Honorary Director, but owing to the increase in the number of the classes, &c, it became necessary to appoint a Director. Mr. F. Foote, 8.A., was then appointed to this position with Mr. Vernon as Hon. Principal. The art classes were under the direction of Mr. Elliott and ran for three terms. The only other classes running for three terms were the plumbing and wood-carving classes. The remaining classes ran

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