E.—s.

47

where there are enough proficiency students left over to form a class. Therefore, with this exception, we are cut off from " course " capitation on account of free-place students. (2.) As regards adults, it has been proved time and again that they will not, as a general rule, continue a course of instruction, as time is wanting to do so. (3.) We cannot get really good local instructors, and itinerant ones mean heavy expenses if they have to stay overnight in the smaller centres. Present capitation rates do not allow us to cover expenses. As a result we have one strong centre, Hawera, and for all the good they are doing the others, so far as " special " classes are concerned, might as well be closed down. Fortunately " school " classes make use of the rooms and equipment, but our local Technical Committee, which does not control " school " classes, is now quite disgusted with the position. The school at Manaia is now completed, and a start will lie made there with the- New Year. A new room was added to Hawera Technical School, and this has relieved the congestion previously obtaining there. Ihe buildings continue to be fairly we'll looked after, but there is the greatest difficulty in meeting the expenses of cleaning, lighting, and heating the schools. The Hawera Borough Council kindly donated £20 to the funds of that school, and various small amounts were also received. At Hawera three courses of work were carried out : (I) Art, (2) commercial, (3) agricultural. The first consisted mostly of paying students; the second accounted for most of our free places; and, unfortunately, few were left for the agricultural course. However, a beginning has been made, and better things may be expected owing to the interest aroused in the practical work of the secondary classes. Given a day technical school at Hawera, our agricultural classes would he overflowing. The enrolment of all students throughout the year totalled 673. This is a big drop from that of the previous year. Kxtract from the Report of thf Supervisor for the Central District. Technical and continuation classes were conducted at Marton and Taihape during the year. The local Supervisors left nothing undone to secure g I attendances, but the attendance at the Taihape classes was again disappointing. The domestic classes were about the most successful classes conducted during the year. The class in cookery at Taihape was abandoned after the first term. A class in plumbing and sanitary science was held at Marton. and was regularlyattended by students who were studying to qualify for the plumbers' examinations. A very satisfactory number passed the final tests. The book-keeping class at I'aihape was discontinued after the first term. The Marton class was continued during the year. Shorthand and typewriting were taught in addition to book-keeping. A class in art needlework was conducted at Marton, but was not as well attended as it might have been considering the high class of instruction that was given. A very successful class in woodwork was held at Marton. A class in veterinary science was conducted at Marton, and was attended by a dozen students. Good practical work was done. During the year all the school-gardens but one have been visited, many of them a number of times. The outdoor work on the whole is very fair. In the places where the teacher is enthusiastic the teaching is stimulating and the pupils responsive. There is a steady improvement in schoolgrounds. In a few schools the indoor experimental work has reached a high level. The experiments are outlined by the teacher and afterwards worked out by the pupil with home-made apparatus. The result has been that, as the pupils have to think a great deal about the work, they have but little difficulty in writing a good description of what they have done. During the year a leaflet has been prepared giving outlines of a number of experiments that can be worked with home-made apparatus. It is hoped that in the season when outdoor work is unnecessary these experiments will be a source of intellectual profit to the pupils. Dairy science is taken in a few schools as a part of the combined course in agriculture and dairy science. The time given to the instruction and practice rarely exceeds twenty hours per annum. This time is too short for really effective work. A class for practical physiology, attended chiefly by pupil-teachers, met every Friday evening throughout the year. Good work was done by a majority of the students. On Saturdays a class of teachers met for instruction in agriculture. The class was fairly attended during the year. A few of the students did very good work. Boys from the Wanganui Technical College, Feilding, Marton, and Taihape District High Schools met at the farm school at Marton every Monday for special instruction. The attendance was good until after the middle of the year, when it gradually decreased as boys left to take up positions. The most regular attendance throughout the year was made by the boys of the Feilding District High School. Lessons were given in the schoolroom adjoining the farm. Here follows the scheme: First aid to farm animals; farm mechanics; the first principles of manuring; the pig industry; animal husbandry. Lessons were also given on farm practice. The lessons were illustrated as far as possible by lantern-slides, by diagrams, and by actual specimens. The practical work consisted in the usual farm operations—ploughing, harrowing, grubbing, rolling, planting, and sowing. A three-horse team was available on most of the days when we were lit the farm. Most of the boys have learnt how to handle horses as well as to use the commoner farm implements. During the year the following tools were obtained : A five-tine cultivator, a horsehoe, a ridger, and a small seed and fertilizer drill. Mr. J. G. Wilson gave a lecture to the beys on the value of science to agriculture. The Minister of Education, accompanied by the Inspector-General of Schools, Mr. Pirani, Mr. Guthrie, M.P., Mr. Newman, M.P., Mr. J. G Wilson, and Mr. Purnell. paid a short visit to the school in November and saw the boys at work. Our record for the two years that we have been established is. I think, very satisfactory. One b,,y who spent two years with us has gone to Hawkesbury Agricultural College to complete his education, two boys have gone to Moumahaki, one to Ruakura, and several others have started