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of waste and rubbish, an engineering workshop with smithy and tool-room adjoining, and a large room now used as a combined draughting-room and woodwork-shop. The building was constructed by day labour in brick and reinforced concrete under the supervision of the Education Board's architect, and is provided with electric lighting. As the instructor in engineering subjects took up his duties in January, he was able to supervise the erection of the machinery and fittings, which was carried out as far as possible by the boys attending the classes. The large attendance in the trades classes of the day technical school and the evening classes has shown already that the expenditure of the considerable sum of money required for the building and equipment was well justified. The teaching staff was increased during the year by the appointments of Miss H. 1. Gunn and Mr. A. J. Newman as teachers of domestic science and engineering subjects respectively. There have thus been eight permanent teachers employed during the year, and it is anticipated that a further appointment of a teacher of science and mathematics will be necessary early in 1915. This will increase the pressure in the class-room accommodation, which is already scanty, and the need of a larger laboratory will become still more apparent. The Board has felt the necessity of increasing the usefulness and attractiveness of the agricultural course by the acquisition of a suitable block of land where agricultural operations could be carried out on a larger scale than at present. 'Some steps towards this end have already been taken, and if they can be completed the College will be in a much better position to deal with agricultural instruction. The year's work has been considerable, and it is hoped will prove to bo fruitful. Enooitr«gement in the work has been given by the intimation received at the end of the year from the Southland Builders' Association and the Southland Farmers' Union that these bodies desire to be represented on the Board of Managers in 1915. John Fisher, Chairman. Extract from the Report of the Director of the Southland Technical College. Day Technical School. —The third year of the College, now just at its conclusion, shows that steady progress has been maintained, both in the roll number of students and in the development of the courses of instruction given. The roll number was 178, as compared with 162 for the previous year. Free places were held by 162 students on the following qualifications : Junior free places, 136 j Education Board scholarships, 2; senior free places, 21; Technical College Board free places, 3. The 178 students were enrolled for the four courses in the following numbers: Commercial—6l girls, 41 boys; total, 102: trades, 4-3 boys; domestic science, 22 girls; agricultural, 11 boys. At the beginning of the session the staff was augmented by the appointment of Miss 11. I. Gunn as domestic-science mistress and Mr. A. J. Newman as engineering instructor, and this increase has permitted considerable development of the domestic-science and trade courses respectively. Late in the year Mr. Phillip Dunn was appointed instructor in class singing, and the results of his training were well shown when the College choir won the junior choral championship in the Invercargill competitions. The position of agricultural instructor became vacant at the end of the second term owing to the resignation of Mr. J. Moodie, but it was possible to make a satisfactory temporary appointment to the vacancy, and it is expected that a permanent instructor will take up the work at the commencement of the session of 1915. There litis been a, steady increase in the teaching staff since the establishment of the College, no fewer than five p additional full-time instructors having been appointed in two years, with the result that the College has increasing facilities to develop the special features of the vocational courses. Each of the courses is now adequately taught, both in the general and in the vocational subjects, but it is confidently expected that everjr year will bring further developments. The fullest provision had been made at first for the commercial classes, and two special instructors now deal exclusively with commercial subjects. Throughout New Zealand there is a keen demand for commercial education, and in Invercargill, which is essentially a commercial and not a manufacturing town, it is natural that the number of students taking the commercial course should be considerable. These classes in particular have benefited this year from the increased attention that has been given to spelling, handwriting, and accuracy in figures. An offer of a prize for book-keeping made by the Society of Accountants will give added interest to that subject. The course of instruction provided for agricultural students has always been a very full one, and it is regrettable that, although the numbers have increased slightly, so few boj's have been able to take advantage of the good course of general education which it provides. It is a noteworthy fact that in Canada many students who do not intend to become farmers attend the agricultural colleges on account of the general value of their courses. We would be satisfied if we could enrol for this course the boys who intend to become farmers; not that they will learn in the College the finer technicalities of farm operations, but they will receive a broad general education sufficiently technical to enable them to carry on their work more intelligently, and to avoid many of the errors in farm-management which are due as much to lack of general education as to ignorance of technical details. This course has been improved during the year by the addition of a class in simple ironwork and by occasional visits to farms to study good types of farm animals. It is hoped that these visits may be made even more frequently, as their educational value is very great. Instruction will be given in elementary blaoksmithing next year, and possibly in simple working of sheet lead and nine. The domestic-science course received an impetus by the appointment of a special instructor in needlework, dressmaking, and millinery, and a substantial increase in its roll number has taken place. However, in view of the importance of skill in the domestic arts, it is hoped that this course will in a few years have at least double the number of students enrolled. High wages in the various trades and professions generally mean high prices for the necessaries of life, and an increase in wages is of little benefit