E.—2.

[Appendix A.

of New Zealand up to twenty years one mark was awarded, and for each two years of service in the State schools of New Zealand from twenty-one to thirty years (both inclusive) one mark was awarded. case of teachers having service in the State sohools of other English-speaking countries, one mark was awarded for every two years of service up to twenty years, no marks being assigned for service beyond a total of thirty years. The allocation of marks for scholastic attainments was as follows : For a certificate of Class A, 20 marks; for one of Class B, 1.8 marks ; for one of Class C, 16 marks; for one of Class D, 1.3 marks ; for one of Class E, 10 marks ; and for a license to teach, 5 marks. Training College. —The number of students in attendance at the beginning of last year was— Males, 35 ; females, 80 ; total, 11.5. During the year seven male students joined the Forces. Mr. H. A. E. Milnes, B.Sc, Principal, has joined the Forces. During his absence the Headmaster of the Normal School (Mr. H. G. Cousins, M.A.) is acting as Principal and as Lecturer in Education at the University College. The Board has recorded its high appreciation of Mr. Milnes's patriotism in making great personal sacrifices in order to fight for our King and Empire. The Board has also placed on record its appreciation of the very valuable services rendered by Mr. Milnes to the cause of education during the ten years he has occupied the position of Principal of the Auckland Training College. Manual Training. —The Manual and Training Branch of the Education Board was placed under the control of a supervisor from the Ist April, 1915. During the year new manual-training schools at Te Aroha, Dargaville, and Te Kopuru were opened ; and at present there are manual-training schools at Ponsonby, Newmarket, Newton, Otahuhu, Pukekohe, Hamilton, Cambridge, Te Aroha, Waihi, Thames, Helensville, Te Kopuru, Dargaville, and Whangarei. A new cookery room at Otahuhu has just been completed, and is now opened. In spite of the fact that Otahuhu is now being worked as a full-time manual-training centre, the three city manual-training schools provide insufficient accommodation for the ever-increasing numbers of pupils. An application from Te Kuiti for a grant in aid of the erection of a manual-training school was refused by the Department. A scheme has been devised for providing manual training for pupils in the following centres : Huntly, Tauranga, Te Kuiti, and Rotorua, and it is hoped that this scheme will soon be started. The numbers of children in attendance at the manualtraining schools during 1915 were —Boys, 2,982 ; girls, 2,704 : an increase of 576 boys and 587 girls for the year. Three woodwork instructors have joined the Forces. During 1915 289 primary schools conducted classes in agriculture, being an increase of fifty-one for the year. The Board now requires all schools of Grade lIIa and higher to include school-gardening in their syllabus of work. Included in the 289 schools above mentioned were some fifty sohools that took the combined course in agriculture and dairy science. The teachers of these schools had received special instruction in. dairy science on the lines of a scheme drawn up by the supervisor. The results obtained in the schools have been very satisfactory, teachers and pupils, recognizing that instruction, in dairy science is both, interesting and. profitable. Rural-course work was undertaken by the secondary pupils at the following district high schools : Pukekohe, Cambridge, Te Aroha, Paeroa, and Waihi. These schools were visited regularly by the agricultural instructors. During 1916 Tauranga and Aratapu District High. Schools will take the rural course. Teachers' classes in agriculture have been held to prepare teachers for the certificate examinations. Three dairy science classes —each of one week's duration and each attended by twentyfive selected teachers—were held to give special instruction in the dairy-science scheme for sohools. Officers. —The Board is pleased to be able to report that the Secretary, Mr. Crowe, has completely recovered from his illness. Mr. W. H. N. Carnahan (accountant), Mr. H. W. Cox, and Mr. A. E. Mills (clerks) are now on active service. Thanks. —The thanks of the Board are due to the Education Department for the careful consideration of its recommendations and to the School Committees of the district for their cordial co-operation during the year. The Board desires to express its appreciation of the valuable help and advice given by the officers of the Public Health Department. I have, &c, George J. Garland, Chairman, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington.

TARANAKI. Sir,— New Plymouth, 13th March, 1916. In accordance with the provisions of section 39 (1) of the Education Act, 1914, the Education Board of Taranaki has the honour to submit the following report of its proceedings for the year 1915. At the beginning of the year the Board comprised the following members : Mr. Harold Trimble (Chairman), Messrs. G. A. Adlam, A. Mel. Bradbury, A. H. Halcombe, E. Marfell, R. Masters, A. Morton, F. J. Mackay, and J. Young. In. accordance with the provisions of the Education Act the following members retired in July : North Ward —Arthur Morton ; East Ward —Robert Masters; West Ward —James Young ; and at the election held on the 26th July, Messrs. Morton, and Masters were re-elected for their respective wards ; and Mr. Albert Bygrave Chappell was elected a member for the West Ward in the place of Mr. James Young. At a meeting of the Board held on the 25th August Mr. Harold Trimble was elected Chairman. At the November meeting Mr. Bradbury resigned, and the special election to fill the vacancy on the Board ? for the West Ward was fixed for the Bth January, 1916. New schools have been erected and opened at Muskor's and Kiore, and the Bird, Tahora, Tataraimaka, and Warea Schools have been enlarged. At the end of the year there were 104 schools open, including two half-time schools. Ninety-three were held in buildings the property of the Board, and the balance in buildings leased to the Board by settlers. Fifty-five of the head teachers had residences attached to their schools, and the others were in receipt of house allowance.

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