E.--5.

68

1 venture to think that the Leaving of pupils during the year has not been sumciently taken into account in fixing the basis of capitation for schools of this type. The stall must be arranged to cope satisfactorily with the maximum number, while the payment of the full capitation is made on a much smaller number. Further, in the case of domestic science and workshop classes, of which we have a large proportion, the number "f students under one instructor must be less than twenty-five. These two factors contribute to render the instruction costly, and should require a higher rate of capitation than for ordinary secondary-school work. During the year we have been able to make more satisfactory arrangements for singing and for physical culture in the case of girls. The Board was fortunate in securing the services of a lady who has been specially trained at Home in the latter, and provision was made to give all the girls exercises during two periods in the week. The appointment of Mr. Goldstone, who was well qualified for the work, allowed considerable extension of the singing, and lias rendered it an important feature in the school life. For the first time swimming sports have been held, and by the generosity of the Board we were able to institute a championship shield. While the school games have been, in general, indulged in with enthusiasm. we have been considerably handicapped during a great part of the winter by the state of Lancaster I , ark, ami until we have a ground of our own which may be played on at all seasons of the year we cannot hope to lie vvvy successful. We are looking forward eagerly to the time when our own playing-fields will lie in order, ami our anxiety in this respect has been shown in a practical way by the pupils. A number of the boys gave up the greater part of their spring holidays to getting out docks ami levelling, and by the end of the year more than £60 has been raised to help LU the completion of the work. The first number of the College magazine was issued in November, and will be recognized as a creditable production on which the magazine committees of the day and evening schools may be congratulated. We owe the idea of the magazine to the school parliament, which has again played a noteworthy part in the working of the school, (hie of the girls has acted as Speaker, and I am sure her school-fellows will agree that she has done credit to the position and given no justification for the objection sometimes raised against the intrusion of women into practical politics. The Hoard has adopted a definite scale of salaries for the stafl', and has thus brought our system into line with that which has proved so satisfactory in connexion with the primary schools. Evening School. —It is with much regret that 1 have to place on record an unprecedented number of changes in the personnel of our staff. It will be unnecessary for mc to refer to the work of the trade classes in detail. These have been examined und reported on by the honorary examiners. As it has considered that the London City and Guilds Examination in needlework is not a satisfactory test for those who desire to become teachers in this subject, the Board has established a teachers' needlework diploma, to be awarded on the Jesuit of a searching theoretical and practical examination and of the work done during the year. Miss Gibson, Lady Principal of the Girls' High School, kindly acted as honorary examiner, and diplomas were awarded to six of the candidates. In public examinations our students have more than maintained the successes of former years. In the City and Guilds of London Technological Examinations fourteen first-class and 'thirteen second-class certificates were obtained, and in the English Board of Education Science Examinations four first-class and one second-class certificates. We look forward, however, to the time when the Department will itself carry out such examinations in New Zealand. The Home examinations are for several reasons unsuitable, and we have decided that, as far as needlework, dressmaking, and millinery are concerned, no special provision shall be made for our students to prepare for them in future. Great encouragement has been given to our carpentry and joinery and typographical classes by the establishment of scholarships to defray the cost of instruction to students who, by their regular attendance and good work, have deserved such help. The Canterbury Carpenters and Joiners' Union, the Canterbury Master Printers' Association, and the Canterbury Typographical Association have set an excellent example in this manner, and I trust that other trade organizations may be encouraged to co-operate in the same way. To the Industrial Association of Canterbury we are greatly indebted for their generosity in offering for competition in each of our trade classes a Seddon Memorial Cold Medal, to be awarded in each class where work submitted was considered by the honorary examiners to be of outstanding merit. Four such medals have been awarded this year, and I am confident that they will provide an increasing stimulus to our students to put forward their very best energies to obtain this high mark of distinction. At the end of the session Messrs. W. Strange and Co. (Limited) kindly placed their large corner windows at our disposal for the purpose of displaying specimens of work done in the various departments of the College. All who saw the exhibition agreed that it did much credit to instructors and students alike, and I am sure it has been of great assistance in making our work better known. The display in the Terv centre of the town brought it under the notice of hundreds who would never have visited an exhibition at the College itself. A pleasant feature of the session has been the formation of our past and senior students' association, which will, I hope, do much to establish an esprit de corps among our evening students, and to unite to the College with bonds of affection those of its students who have parsed prom the class-rooms ami workshops to put into practice in their daily avocations what they have there learnt. One of the most pressing needs of educational institutions that have their students undei' their care only for a few hours in each week is the provision of a corporate life, which shall serve not only as a bond of union, but as a means whereby opportunities are afforded for carrying out the duties and responsibilities of positions which demand the exercise of initiative, independence, and self-sacrifice. College societies, whether for debating, dramatics, social evenings, or -anies. are all of great value in this direction, and I hope that the association will play an important part in our College life. The total number of individual students during the year was 1,330, Ml of these being pupils in our day school and <)S7 in our evening school and special classes. The remarkable growth