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Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1911, in respect of Associated Classes conducted by the Timaru Technical Classes Association.

Extract from the Report oj? the Managers oj? the Temuka Technical School. The Board of Managers for 1911 consisted of eleven members, as against ten for the previous year —namely, Messrs. M. McLeod (Chairman) and T. Buxton, representing the subscribers ; Messrs. J. Bambridgo and J. W. Joynt, the Temuka Borough Council; Mr. W. F. Evans, the Temuka Caledonian Society ; Mr. T. Gunnion, the Temuka Bicycle Club ; Mr. F. Saunders, the Temuka District High School Committee ; and Messrs D. Mclnnes and G. Thomson, the South Canterbury Board of Education. As in the previous year, the attendance of members at the Board's meetings has been very regular, and close attention has been paid to all matters of detail. The staff remained the same as for the year 1910, except that Mr. John Brown, B.Sc, instructor in agriculture to the South Canterbury Education Board, conducted a class in agriculture. Wo are pleased to report that the work of students was somewhat better than in the previous year, and no doubt this was largely due to the energy and enthusiasm displayed by our staff. Eleven classes were carried on, the same number as last year. One branch of commercial work was dropped for the year, and agriculture, a new subject in our school, was taken up in its place. For the year 148 individual students enrolled, and this number must be considered good for a district of the size of Temuka. The numbers that attended the various classes were —Agriculture, 13 ; dressmaking, 46 ; relief carving, 10 ; cookery, 47 ; wool-classing, 15 ; millinery, 17 ; painting, 10; carpentry, 9; commercial work, 13 ; and all these classes maintained a good average. The Managers were disappointed at the smallness of the number that enrolled in the class in agriculture. They feel that in a farming community like this such a class should be the largest in the district. It is, however, very hard to convince successful farmers that a course of instruction in the scientific principles underlying the various branches of agriculture is going to put any money in their own or their sons' pockets ; and the young men who should form the bulk of the class are often too fond of amusement to give any time to science classes. The Managers, however, feel certain that, with an increasing population and the closer settlement of the land, the farmers of the future must be able to improve on the methods of their fathers, and must have an intelligent understanding not only of the practice but of the principles of agriculture. They, hope, therefore, to be able to induce more young farmers to start this year, and with this end in view may start a class in veterinary science or some other subject which will be useful and popular. They also hope to see a greater number of students taking advantage of the classes in carpentry. It may not be generally known that in some trades, like carpentry, cabinetmaking, and plumbing, those who have attended a technical school for two years, and can show a certificate to that effect, get an advantage over their fellow-workers who have not attended such a school in the matter of weekly wages as well as in the matter of efficiency. In some cases there is a difference of as much as 2s. per week between what is paid to ordinary apprentices and what is obtained by apprentices coming straight from the technical school. This fact alone should be sufficient to make young people see that employers are beginning to recognize the advantages of technical education ; and if, in some cases, it does no more than give accurate training to the hand and the eye before the student leaves the school, still it has done much to make him more confident and more competent when he takes up some position either for himself or on wages. Examinations for certificates were again held at the end of the year, and we are pleased to be able to report that a greater number were successful this year than last. In wool-classing a fourth-year certificate will be issued to Mr. E. Fitzgerald, while Messrs. D. McLeod, G. Burborough, R. McMillan, F. Grayburn, J. Aitken, and A. Ellis will receive second-year certificates. In commercial work 4 students gained certificates, Misses K. Twomey, G. Larcombe, and V. Mahan, and Master C. McMillan. Nine sat for the cookery examinations, and all passed : they are Mrs. McLeod, Misses E. Gapper, Isabella McLeod, A. Scott, E. Coughlan, M. Sim, A. Fitzgerald, C. Fitzgerald, E. Tooley. In millinery-work a certificate will be given to Miss J. Currie, who has attended our classes regularly for four years, and whose work is highly satisfactory. The Managers have for some time recognized that the accommodation was not sufficient, and accordingly applied to the Department for a new cookery-room. The Department's Inspector, Mr. E. C. Isaac, visited the school and reported on the matter, and the Managers are pleased to be able to report that the sum of £400 has been voted. Plans are now being prepared, and before many months we should be in possession of one of the most up-to-date rooms in the Dominion. It is proposed to use the present room for millinery and dressmaking classes. The Managers desire to point out that something should be done to improve the woodwork-room. It was built to hold 24 pupils, but some of the classes every year have over 30 pupils, and so the room is inconveniently overcrowded. Desks

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Receipts. Balance at beginning of year Capitation on associated classes "Capitation on account of free places Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. Material.. Subsidies on voluntary contributions Fees Voluntary contributions Sales of material Interest Refunds .. £ s. d .. 212 17 11 ..235 9 3 .. 131 12 0 .. 9 10 0 .. 18 4 10 .. 86 11 0 .. 268 16 3 .. 104 13 3 5 6 9 0 2 J 13 4 Expenditure. £ a. d. Salaries of instructors, &c... .. .. 682 4 2 Office expenses (including salaries, stationery, &c.) .. .. .. .. 6 15 8 Advertising and printing .. .. 22 18 6 Lighting and heating .. .. .. 34 1 8 Insurance and repairs .. .. .. 4 17 10 Examinations, &c. .. .. .. 5 15 0 Material for class use .. .. .. 50 15 4 Fees refunded .. .. .. ..376 Sundries .. .. .. .. ..285 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus . . .. 49 12 4 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 211 10 3 £1,074 6 8 £1,074 6 8 J. A. Valentine, Chairman | , M Eichings Grant, Secretary j