E.—7

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3 passed and 3 failed. Another candidate was awarded a junior free- place on her work. In addition to these, 9 pupils entered for the regular Senior Free Place Examination, of whom all passed ; 14 sat for the Junior Civil Service Examination and 13 passed, 8 being placed in the credit list, Five pupils sat for the Junior Free Place Examination, and 2 passed. In the December University examinations 3 pupils took the Junior University Scholarship papers, Julia Pegg and Catherine Reynolds gained Senior National Scholarships, and also the two Gammack Scholarships, while Ada Fairbairn passed the Matriculation Examination in the credit list. Thirty pupils sat for the ordinary Matriculation Examination, and 22 passed, all but one taking Latin, and so qualifying also for the Solicitors' General Knowledge Examination. Seven candidates entered for Education Board Senior Scholarships, and these were awarded to Mabel Jones, Rita Clark, Nesta Mason, Hilda Stewart, and Alice Callaghan. At the November Canterbury College examinations 6 of the exhibitions for the year were won by past pupils of the school, as follows: Irene Wilson the exhibition in Latin, Alice Candy that in economics, Edith Jackson that for pure unit hematics, Helen Leversedge that in French, Agnes Merton that in German, and Laura Christensen that in physical science. The last mimed was also bracketed with a fellow-student for the Sir George Grey Scholarship. In the University degree examinations of December, 1907, the following degrees were gained by past pupils : Gwen Opie, degree of M.A., with second-class honour- in mathematics ; Nellie Slocombe, degree of M.A., with second class honours in Latin and French ; Priscilla Dyson, degree of M.A., with third-class honours in Latin and English ; Isabella Griffin, degree of M.A., with third class honours in English and French: Ellen.Baxter, Jane Cardwell, Marion Reese. Kathleen Wills, all the degree of B.A. BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL. (Headmaster, Mr. C. E. Bevan-Brown, M.A.) The school-roll for 1908 was as follows : For the first term, 220 ; for the second, 218 ; for the third term, 201. This includes the Preparatory Form, which had on its roll 20, 23, 22 for the thiee terms respectively. The school-roll at the present moment is 231, an increase of about 30 boys. In 1908 there were 94 holders of free places, 51 junior and 43 senior. In this first term of 1909 there are 126 holders of free places, 58 senior and 68 junior. Seventy-three new boys were admitted this term, 39 being holders of free places. The size of the classes in the Upper School is larger than ever. The gymnasium was opened with a pleasant function on the 7th August, 1908, and has been used ever since. It is large enough for school meetings, and the prize-distribution was held there, last December. The school needs larger chemical laboratories, and a proper physical laboratory, the absence of which has been commented on by the Inspector-General. There is also wanted a reading-room and library, the present library being stowed away in a class-room. For the sake also of safety and the proper working of the school, a staircase and exit should be built in connection with the southern side of the western wing. Mr. J. Hartley-Smith asked for leave of absence for two terms in May, 1908 ; immediately after it was granted he became dangerously ill. His work was taken till the end of the year by Mr. J. D. Davey and Mr. C. M. Bevan-Brown. At the beginning of 1909 it was found he was unable to resume work, and Mr. C. M. Bevan-Brown was appointed temporarily as locum tenens. Mr. Smith eventually, finding the doctor forbade work for a considerable time, resigned at the end of February, 1909. He had been a master of the school for fourteen years, always loyal, able, and industrious, working unselfishly and patiently under physical disadvantages : prior to that he was a pupil of the school, and was the first, with Mr. Speight, to win a University Scholarship and University honours. At the end of 1908 the school also sustained a loss by the appointment of Mr. R. Speight as Assistant Curator in the Museum. He has been a master for over twenty years, and his work both inside and outside the school has been very valuable. The school very much regrets his loss and that of Mr. Smith. Mr. Speight has been able to remain on till the end of March until a successor could arrive. In the middle of February, 1909, the Board elected two gentlemen to fill the vacancies just mentioned—via., Mr. R. J. Thompson, B.A. Otago, First, Assistant of the Thames Bigh School, and Mr. Arthur Watt, M.A. (firstclass honours in English and French), who was a Junior and a Senior Scholar of New Zealand University, and has for a year been teaching at Auckland. Mr. Watt, who takes up Mr. Smith's work, began work on the 21st March, 1909. Mr. Tankard was away on leave for six months of 1908, and the first three months of 1909, and his place as gymnastic instructor was taken by Mr. Jackson. Seventy-five boys in the Upper School presented themselves for outside examinations in December last. On the Junior University Scholarship list Mr. G. H. Robertson, who was with us five years, and left at the beginning of 1908 to go with his parents to Wellington (where for that year he attended Wellington College), was third scholar on the list; the 7 candidates who came straight from the school had been only one year in the upper sixth form ; 1 was placed on the credit list, 5 qualified for matriculation, and 1 failed. The school has not done so poorly in this examination since 1894. For matriculation! &c, there were 24 candidates, and 17 passed. One of these qualified for medical preliminary ; two who passed matriculation failed for medical preliminary. Forty-four candidates entered for Junior