E.—s.

Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1914, in respect of Classes conducted at the Wellington Technical College. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Cr. balance at beginning of year .. .. 695 0 10 Salaries of teaching staff .. .. 7,034 10 7 Capitation on account of day technical Material for olass use .. .. .. 778 3 0 sohool .. .. .. .. 3,077 3 2 Scholarships, &c. .. .. .. 80 0 0 Capitation on classes .. .. .. 3,124 18 2 Bent .. .. .. .. .. 284 1 0 Capitation on account of free places .. 1,461 3 1 Bepairs .. .. .. .. 89 11 0 Bent .. .. .. .. .. 278 0 0 Caretakers .. .. .. .. 255 14 0 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 30 0 0 Lighting and heating .. .. .. 173 3 6 Material .. .. .. .. 434 3 1 Insuranoe .. .. .. .. 24 10 9 Subsidies on voluntary contributions .. 300 0 0 Offioe expenses (including salaries, &o.) .. 500 1 8 liefund, Auckland Exhibition .. .. 25 6 0 Advertising and printing .. .. 116 16 9 Pees and other class payments .. .. 1,029 1 9 Typewriter repairs .. .. .. 47 8 7 Sales of material .. .. .. 174 4 4 Library .. .. .. .. 41 12 5 Voluntary contributions .. .. 300 0 0 Prizes .. .. .. .. 74 17 3 Scholarships, &c. .. .. .. 80 0 0 Examinations .. .. .. .. 16 15 0 On account of olaases at Wellington Colleges 160 0 0 Stationery .. .. .. .. 284 16 1 On account of classes at Training College.. 142 15 0 Sundries .. .. .. .. 44 3 7 On account of N.Z.T.S. " Amokura" olasses 78 1 4 Buildings .. .. .. .. 7 6 6 Sales of stationery .. .. .. 235 6 3 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 198 12 3 Sundries .. .. •.. .. 63 11 4 Cr. balance at end of year .. .. 1,636 10 5 £11,688 14 4 £11,688 14*4 David Robertson, Chairman) ,>, W. S. La Trobe, Secretary jof Mana ß ers - Extract from the Rkport of the Director of the Petone Technical School. One of the outstanding events with regard to the progress of the school is the additional accommodation that has been provided by the Education Department. The new wool-room that has been fitted up, supplies what has been required for the past lour years. The room is well arranged, and well lighted. No doubt the knowledge of wool is much sought after by those engaged in the large woolstores, and it is from this source that the majority of our students are derived. These alt take a delightfully keen interest in their work, and there is no don bt that this is one of the most successful classes in the school. Students, however, would benefit much more if they attended two nights a week instead of only one. A plentiful supply of wool has again been supplied by the manager of the Wellington Woollen-mills, and to him we owe much thanks. Students arc beginning to realize that wool-classing cannot be learnt in five minutes, and it is very pleasing to see the same students reappearing term after term. This in itself speaks volumes for the character of the instruction given at the school. Again, we have pupils coming from as far as Kawhai, in the King-country, and from the Wairarapa district. This would not be so unless the instruction was on sound lines. It may not be out of place to mention here that I think the time has come when we should bring what we are doing in this respect under the notice of the various farmers' unions and let them know that no one is fully accredited by this school as a wool-classer unless he can produce our final certificate. It is only fair to the students and to the school itself that this should be done. The shearing class was again held. Mr. S. V. Burridgc supplied the necessary sheep and generally managed the class. There in all nine students, three of whom sat for examination and passed in the first grade. Mr. Burridge expressed himself as greatly pleased with the work done. The Farmers' Union have now recognized the. good work done by this class and have offered a subsidy of 10s. per student up to forty students. The new additions include an up-to-date class-room which, was greatly needed. This room is extremely well ventilated and lighted, and is a great acquisition, while the furniture provided is a decided improvement on the old style. Separate accommodation has been provided for the electricity class and the class of work should consequently soon show a vast improvement. The removal of this class from the chemistry-room has given, us more room upstairs. Not the least pleasing feature in connection with the school is the number of pupils who, having no particular class to attend, assemble at the school foi study on their own account. From this type of pupil much can be expected. I am more than satisfied with the excellent results obtained by the typewriting olass during the year. The Public Service Senior class is a remarkably difficult class to handle, calling for, on the part of the instructor, a knowledge of commercial geography, algebia, geometry, natural science, Latin, and advanced arithmetic that is not generally possessed by one teacher. I must say that we have been fortunate in having such capable instructors for this class. It has been mentioned that, a writing class might be instituted. There is no doubt that it is not easy to get boys who write well on leaving school. The Public Service Commissioners evidently think that writing is not up to standard, since they are establishing classes in Wellington for that purpose. If it could be airanged that those engaged in the Public Service were not required to go back to work on the evenings on which the classes they attend meet, much improvement-, in this respect might result. The English and arithmetic classes for junior free place pupils have not to my mind been a success in the matter of attendance. If young people would only recognize the great importance of these two subjects the difficulty would be got over. I propose next year, with the co-operation of the teachers, to make this class moie interesting as well as more instructive. A trial was made this year of holding dressmaking, cookery, and millinery classes for two terms a year. I think that it was a very successful experiment. The attendance was better, the pupils were not so tired ; and I strongly recommend a continuance of this scheme. An attempt was made during

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