£.—5

XXIX

A larger number of teachers have initiated classes in elementary agriculture or school-gardening, those at Takaka District High School and Riwaka being conducted with marked success; and some of our sole teachers, too, make this a most attractive feature of the school course. In connection with this branch, classes in dairy-work at Takaka and Motueka District High Schools have been formed for the especial benefit of the secondary-class pupils. The lessons have been given by Mr. Bruce, the instructor in agriculture, and have awakened considerable interest, and been the means of introducing a muchdesired branch of scientific training. It is hoped next year to combine in some instances agriculture with the dairy-work, and under the supervision of the same instructor to extend the benefit of the lessons to other suitable centres. As it forms the best possible introduction to a scientific course, we regret that the subject of physical measurements does not receive more attention in our larger schools. Swimming, a subject upon which the district can pride itself, is more generally taught, but as neither of our two largest schools —Nelson Girls' School and Westport District High School—has been able to place this subject on the time-table, we cannot say that anything like the majority of our pupils ever have the opportunity afforded them of being taught, during school-hours, to swim. That most of our pupils do learn to swim is very probable : that any ordinarily healthy boy or girl should not have the facility to acquire this useful accomplishment before leaving school is regrettable. Subjects such as ironwork, woodwork, and cookery are taught on the central system at Nelson. Westport, Reefton, and Wakefield. The formation of additional centres at Motueka and Takaka is essential to the completion of a μ-cncral scheme, which would place within the reach of each of our highergrade schools, those above Grade IV. the opportunity of having its pupils trained in an art a knowledge of which is indispensable to the success of a settler or housewife. This is merely looking at the matter from a utilitarian point of view. If we consider the educational aspect—that the essential benefit lies in the training itself, the training of the mind to rightly direct the muscle, the training of the muscle to accurately obey the mmd —even stronger argument can be found for extending as widely as possible some such system of manual training. At special classes, instruction to teachers was given in the following subjects : At Nelson, chemistry, woodwork, and drawing; at Westport. woodwork, cookery, and drawing; at Reefton, drawing. Teachers have also the right of attending, free of cost, any special class formed by the Board, a privilege of which many have availed themselves. EXTRACT FROM THE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION. During the past year all manual-training classes at special centres, with the exception of those in operation at Reefton. bave been in charge oi well-qualified teachers in the permanent employ of the Board, the work carried on therefore being of a higher standard from an educational point of view than was formerly attainable. The gradual attainment of this end in a district so scattered and with such poor means of communication as ours has presented many difficulties to the Board, and, in arranging school time-tables, has doubtless caused many small inconveniences to teachers of country schools, but the experience of a few years is reducing these drawbacks, and the work under present conditions is becoming increasingly popular and beneficial. During the year the recently elected science-room at Motueka was used for school classes, and a grant of £175 has now been authorized for the erection of a cookery-room for the same centre. A new departure during 1910 was the inauguration of classes in dairy-work, under the instruction of Mr. Bruce, and on lines planned by the Chief Inspector. These classes were, held in the specially equipped room at Motueka, and in a temporarily fitted class-room at. Takaka. An extension of these classes to other centres is contemplated during the year. The following (•lasses for manual training conducted on tin , central system were carried on : Woodwork, 11 classes ; ironwork, fi classes; cookery. 15 classes: the total average attendance being 619. In dairy-work 4 classes were conducted, the average attendance being 79. Altogether, during 1910, 698 pupils received manual instruction at special centres, the total capitation earned being £441 12s. 4d., an increase of £35 9s. Id. over the previous year's total. A readjustment of some of the time-tables will enable a larger number of children to receive instruction in woodwork, ironwork, or cookery during 1911. As regards technical instruction, very considerable progress has to be recorded ; increased interest. in and attendance at the two principal schools of the district, the establishment of a day Technical School at Nelson, the extension of trades courses, and an increase in the permanent teaching staff being some of the main features in the year's operations. Through the medium of Departmental grants, equipment has been added to, and a sum of £350 has been provided for the erection of a new art-room at Nelson. During the year Miss Lousley (domestic),' Mr. Duff (mathematics, &c), and Mr. Cockburii (art) were appointed to the permanent teaching staff, in place of Misses Harkness, Hornsby, and Igglesden, part-time teachers, to whom 1 desire to express my thanks for their many services in the interests of technical instruction. At the Nelson Technical School 27 day and the same number of evening classes were held. The number of individual students was 534, and of class entries 806. At the Westport Technical School 13 day and 16 evening classes were held; the number of individual students was 253, and of class entries 415. In the Waimea district 8 classes were held, and were attended by 120 students; in the Bay district 4 classes were held, and were attended by 37 students ; while in the Reefton district 5 classes were held, and were attended by 58 students. Thus the number of technical and continuation classes conducted during 1910 was 100. the number of students was 727, and of class entries was 1,448, an average of 14-5 per class. The number of pupils receiving free technical instruction was 133. an increase of 31. Of these, 92 were junior and 41 senior free pupils. I desire to emphasize a few points indicating the continued growth of technical instruction in the district. The , number of persons attending classes shows a decrease over that for 1909, but there has