15

E.—s

for the processes of dressmaking, drafting patterns, calculation of quantities and cost, adaptation of styles to various figures, and in blending of colours. The aim throughout the course is to train the eye and cultivate the taste of the pupils as well as to make them efficient hand-workers. Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. —Considerable progress has been made in the matter of providing the necessary equipment for the practical wink connected with the study of these important subjects. Workshops containing a few of the best modern types of machine tools, are now attached to the technical schools at Auckland. Wanganui. Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, and these, with the well-equipped experimental laboratories at the School of Engineering at Canterbury College, provide an equipment for elementary and advanced practical and experimental work of which wejmay be justly proud : in fact, it may be said that except in a few minor matters these schools can now supply a thoroughly sound training in two of the principal branches of engineering. Hitherto it has been the general practice for students in engineering at technical schools to attend for instruction in one or two of the following subjects—mechanical drawing, mathematics and geometry, theoretical and applied mechanics, and steam —but they have not. except in a few instances, taken up the study of a group of subjects related to engineering. The ideal condition would of course be for all mechanical and electrical engineering apprentices to attend at the nearest school for at least ten hours during the week, preferably at such hours as would enable them to receive most profit from the instruction. It would then be an easy matter to arrange a course of study on sound lines. These ideal conditions do not, however, appear to be possible at present. So the question is how best to arrange a course of work to meet the real needs of the average student, who-only attends, at most, for five hours a week. One solution appears to lie. in the direction of the hints given in our report of last year. The instruction in geometry and mal hematics and elementary mechanics,as well as in drawing, should be given wherever practicable by the same instructor. The difficulty of teaching these subjects to a class of students differing in mental attainments would no doubt be considerable, and the progress of the class as a whole would necessarily be slow ; but the value of the instruction would be increased. It is to be hoped that the system of instruction obtaining in some of the smaller centres, and not altogether unknown in the larger centres, which consists largely in students copying drawing from flat examples of parts of obsolete machines, will gradually disappear. Plumbing. —The classes in theoretical and practical plumbing continue to do excellent work in most of the districts and call for no special comment. General. While ample provision is, generally speaking, make for the intellectual life of the students in attending technical schools, the social element appears to have been to a large extent overlooked. In one school, however, a small orchestra composed entirely of students is in course of training, and there are other signs of attempts to remedy this defect. Possibly the many facilities provided by different organizations for the social intercourse of their members- facilities which at times interfere with the attendance at technical schools—cause directors generally to refrain from moving in the matter. Every opportunity should, however, be taken to emphasize as far as possible the corporate life of the school and to create an esprit de corps among the students. Classes for the training of public -school teachers in subjects of manual instruction were as usual held in most of the education districts. The subjects to which most attention was given were various branches of elementary handwork ami drawing, agriculture, woodwork, and cookery. In several districts special sessions lasting generally for a fort night have been arranged with results that have been highly satisfactory —so much so as to suggest the advisability of substituting where practicable such sessions for the usual Saturday classes. The attendance at these classes has frequently been very irregular, and in not a lew cases lack of interest in the work on the part of some of the teachers has been apparent. A number of teachers sat for the examinations of tho City and (luilds of London Inst i tute in woodwork and cookery. Fifteen passed the examination in woodwork and thirty-nine that in cookery. The Science and Art Examinations of the Board of Education, London, and the Technological Examinations of the City and Guilds of Loudon Institute were conducted as usual by the Department. Tie- results which are given in Tables 7 and 7a. on pagesßoandßl, may be summarised as follows: Of 626 candidates who sat for the Science and Art Examinations, 103 passed; 27 students' works were sent Home for examination in connection with art certificates, of which 8 were accepted by the examiners. The number of candidates who sat for the Technological Examinations was 330, of whom 233 passed. The examinations were held at 16 centres. Compared with last year there were 111 more candidates for both examinations and 87 more passes. F C Ts*ac i Ins P ec t° rß °f Technical Instruction. The Inspector-General of Schools, Wellington.