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centres in various districts, and of buildings for science, woodwork, and cookery in'connexion with district high schools providing rural courses. The various forms of elementary handwork in which pupils of the lower standards receive instruction afford valuable opportunities for concrete illustration, and accordingly are now being largely taught in conjunction with other subjects of the syllabus, such as arithmetic, geography, and instrumental drawing. Of the subjects taken in the higher standards woodwork and cookery continue to be taught on the central system, and by special instructors. There are now about eighty well-equipped rooms for the instruction of public-school pupils in woodwork and cookery. In the larger towns special manual-training schools separate from the technical school have been provided. In the smaller towns manualtraining rooms form part of the local district high school, secondary school, or technical school, as the case may be. During the year 390 classes for woodwork (or ironwork), and for cookery were in operation. In some districts the girls receive instruction in dressmaking (ninety-nine classes) and laundry-work (eighty-five classes) in addition to cookery. Compared with last year the number of classes for domestic subjects shows an increase of 14 per cent. This must be regarded as satisfactory in view of the importance rightly attached to the training of girls in subjects bearing on the home. Until recently the instruction in domestic subjects has been confined mainly to methods and processes, little attention being given to the principles on which these are based. This has been largely due to the scarcity of teachers having the necessary training and experience to enable them to deal effectively with domestic subjects except from the standpoint of utility. This defect is now, however, being gradually remedied. In some districts the teaching staff has been strengthened by the addition of trained teachers from Home ; while the home science classes recently established at the Otago University and the training hostel in connexion with the Christchurch Technical College, may be expected to furnish in the near future an adequate supply of teachers trained in the science as well as the practice of home making and keeping. Elementary Agriculture. —Elementary instruction in subjects bearing on rural life was given in 1,005 schools, as compared with 832 in the previous year. Instruction in this branch of manual training is in the case of ten of the thirteen education districts supervised by trained itinerant instructors. There are now sixteen of these instructors stationed in various parts of the Dominion. The course of instruction is based mainly on experimental and observational work (both indoor and outdoor), and includes in some districts, chiefly in the North Island, elementary dairy-work. Local interest in the classes continues to be well maintained, valuable assistance being forthcoming, as heretofore, from agricultural and pastoral associations, School Committees,- and members of the farming community generally. In addition tc prizes, which, as in previous years, have been freely offered, contributions in money and kind to the value of nearly £650 have been received by Education Boards during the year. These contributions carry a Government subsidy of £1 for £1. Courses of instruction bearing on rural pursuits (having a domestic trend in the case of girls) were carried on in connexion with the secondary departments of district high schools in seven education districts (as compared with five|in|l9ll), as follows : — District. Number of Schools. Number of Pupils. Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. .. ..1 71 Wanganui .. .. .. .. .. .. " .. 8 238 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. ..6 194 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. .. .. 3 83 North Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 44 South Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. .. 2 68 Otago .. .. .. .. .. .. ..6 189 Totals for 1912 .. .. .. .. .. 28 887 Totals for 1911 .. .. . . 17 499 Capitation payments on account of these rural courses amounted to £5,795, equivalent to a rate of £6*5 per pupil. The hope is expressed that the curriculum in the secondary departments of the district high schools located in agricultural districts will in the near future be based, generally, on the lines of the courses at present being successfully carried out in the above-mentioned education districts. What may be called the practical