E'.—s

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tributed amongst the different schools. Considerable success has attended the budding and grafting operations —all the prizes offered by the Board for roses from stocks budded in schoolgardens were claimed. The results of the potato and turnip competition were both interesting and instructive. One .school had the extraordinary yield of 564 lb. of potatoes from eight, sets. i am pleased to say that all our schools are now thoroughly well equipped for carrying out our scheme of work, in agriculture and horticulture. For nursery-work all have had a supply of knives (grafting and budding in one) designed by myself and marie especially for us by the Eye Witness Company, Sheffield. Thanks are due to the leading agricultural firms in the town for their liberal donations of seeds and manures, the value of which was £17. The Technical College plot being laid off as a model for primary sohools has served admirably for t]w (raining of teachers attending Saturday classes. Several hundred stocks were propagated this season and distributed to various schools, and the nursery is rapidly becoming a valuable asset to your Board. Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 81st December, 1914, in respect of Special Classes conducted at Invercargill and Country Centres by the Southland Education Board. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s d. Cr. balance at beginning of year .. .. 177 3 5 Salaries of teaching staff.. .. .. 358 0 9 Capitation on classes .. .. .. 102 2 5 Material for class use .. .. .. 70 8 1 Material .. .. .. 13 5 1 Caretaker .. .. .. 13 12. 0 Subsidies on voluntary contribu ions .. 2 0 0 Lighting and heating ... .. .. 3 "5 Ji Fees and other class payments .. .. 110 0 5 Office expenses (including srai ie-i .. 20 1 8 Sales of material .. .. .. 35 4 6 Advertising and printing.. .. .. 110 On account of instruction of classes at Gore Cr. balance at end of year .. .. 288 1 1 High School .. .. .. .. 60 15 0 Contribution by Education Board fa >m grant for training of teachers .. .. 200 0 0 £700 16 10 £700 16 10 F. G. Stevenson, Secretary. Extract from the Report or the Chairman t<v 'rut; Board of Managers of the Southland Technical College. The transfer of the control of the Technical College from the Education Board to a Board of Managers elected by contributing bodies was finally effected in May. 11)11. The first step in the direction of arousing public interest was begun in 1913, and was carried out by inviting the members of local bodies to visit the College and see the classes in session. Deputations of representatives of the Town Council, Chamber of Commerce, Employers' Association, Master Plumbers' Union, Southland Farmers' Union, Agricultural and Pastoral Association, and County Council were arranged, and a lecture was delivered before a branch of the Farmers' Union. This involved much labour, but the results were encouraging, for wider interest was created in the work of the College, and live bodies in all decided to contribute to the funds of the institution and share in its management. The first Board of Managers was composed as follows : Messrs. J. Fisher, A. Lowrie, H. E. Niven, and A. L. Wylie, M.A. (Education Board), J. Cilkiuson (Agricultural ami Pastoral Association). \V. 11. Brent (Town Council), If. (1. Speirs (Master Plumbers' Union), J. E. Watson (Wool-brokers' Association), and C. J. Ronaldson (Chamber Commerce); Mr, R. A. Anderson was elected as the representative of (lie Agricultural and 'Pastoral Association, but was unable to act. At the first meeting, held on the Bth May, Mr. .1. Fisher was elected Chairman, and the Principal of the College was constituted Secretary of the Board. The Board has met every month for the transaction of the College business, and a visiting committee has been elected at each meeting in order to acquaint members with the more intimate workings of the classes, and in order to give advice to the Board on matters arising for consideration during the month. The various commercial, educational, and industrial interests represented on the Board have proved ol' inestimable value in the management of tin; affairs of the institution, and it is hoped that ultimately all sections of the community who are interested in the instruction provided in the College will have a share in its control. The mosl formidable obstacle to (lie work of the Hoard lay in the arrangement of finance, for though the income of the College is sufficient to meet the demands made upon it it is paid at irregular intervals, and at times long after it has been earned. However, this difficulty lias to some extent been overcome by the fact that the Board has been kindly permitted to bank through the Education Board in the meantime. If soon became apparent to members of the Board that (lie room provided was insufficient for the growing requirements of the classes, and as the buildings now extend from the street to lire back boundary of tin: site no further additions Io the present buildings are possible. Negotiations were therefore .entered into with the Board of Governors of the Southland Boys' High School, since it is anticipated that a new High School will be built shortly on the college reserve, and the site now occupied and its substantial buildings would serve the needs of the Technical College for many years to come if they were available, as an extension to the College as constituted at present. The two sites are only half a block apart, and are admirably situated for the students attending the evening classes. An agreement was reached between the two Boards as to the terms on which the transfer of the property could be arranged, but the intervention of the war has checked negotiations for the present. However, it is hoped that shortly the College will be able to extend to the very convenient and suitable property of the High Schools' Hoard. The block of buildings at the rear of the manual-training rooms and workshops was completed and equipped during the year. This block includes two sets of lavatories, a room for the destruction