Appendix C.

E.—2.

schools a complete set of apparatus arrd material has been supplied to each school, but unfortunately most of the work consists of demonstration lessons, there being insufficient room for practical work. The number- of pupils receiving instruction at the end of the year was 540. Swimming and Life-saving: Instruction, in swimming and life-saving is given at Gisborne, Hastings, and Dannevirke, and to a lesser extent at the Napier schools. Gisborne, however', is the only school that earned capitation during the past year. The average attendance for the year at these classes was 397. E. (!. Loten, Director.

MARLBOROUGH. Extract prom the Report op thi: Education Board. School classes in woodwork, cookery, and advanced plain needlework were continued at the Blenheim Technical School, being attended by pupils from the following schools: Blenheim, Picton, Grovetown, Marlboroughtown, Tuamarina, Koromiko, and Convent. All of the schools in the district included some branch of handwork in their' schemes of work, and a larger number than usual qualified for capitation. At eight schools a full course in elementary agriculture was giverr, and swimming and life-saving were systematically taught at three schools.

NELSON. Extract from the Report op the Education Board. Manual-training classes irr cookery and woodwork have been carried on at Nelson, Wakefield, Motueka (cookery only), and- Reefton, and classes for cookery and ironwork at Westport. Instruction in agriculture and dairy science is supervised by Mr-. Bruce, who has done excellent work. In addition to the ordinary-school classes Mr. Bruce has conducted tin- science classes at the Takaka and Motueka District High Schools.

GREY. Extract prom the Report op the Acting Director op Manual and Technical Instruction, Elementary Handwork. —During the year this important branch of primary education received full attention at all principal schools, over 90 per cent, of primary pupils in average attendance in the education district participating irr tire instruction given. Stick-laying, paper and carton work, plasticine-modelling, brushwork, and free-arm drawing, with their associated branches, w r ere the principal schemes adopted. Classes in agriculture anel advanced needlework were carried out irr connection with certain country schools with gratifying results. The number of scholars that so largely contributed, and are still contributing, to the sewing requirements of the Red Cross Association and military hospitals is testimony to the value of needlework and sewing instruction, in two of tin- larger schools classes are held in physical measurements. Generally manual instruction is with advantage jiermeating the ordinary work of the schools, and the foundations are being laid of sound and practical education. At Greymouth centre a large majority of children of the higher standards of town and country schools received practical instruction in woodwork, cooker}', and other' subjects.

NORTH CAXTERBU RY. Extract prom the Report op the Director op Manual Training. Though the past year has not been marked by any striking development, there has been some extension of the benefits of this Department and some widening of the scope of its work. Pupils have come for the first time from Aranur, Bromley, and Beckenham, while the numbers in attendance from some of the older schools have notably increased. The manual-training course at the Normal centre for second-year boys has been made to include metal-work as well as woodwork. It is generally held to be a great advantage that, experience should be obtained in the working of a second material, such as metal, which differs so greatly from wood in its general properties and is used so largely for indrrstrial purposes. It offers a further advantage in that it greatly increases the variety of exercises that can be undertaken, and enables the inclusion of simple apparatus in the construction of which the boys are very much interested. The cost of tho additional equipment is comparatively small, and is amply justified by the increased value of the course. A beginning has been made with a schenrc for securing a closer- co-ordination between the domestic training of the centre and the work of the home by encouraging the girls to put into practice at home the things they have learned and giving some recognition to the work thus done. During the year an attempt was made to improve our- system of training in certain directions, but it has been found impossible for the present to effect much change. This is a matter for great regret, because it is incontestable that the conditions under which this work is carried on in Christchurch are distinctly less favour-able than in other progressive districts of New Zealand. There are two directions in which alterations are chiefly required—(l) The provision of another centre, (2) an increase in the length of the lesson. In view of the urgency of the Department that the strictest economy should be exercised, the Board decided -not to proceed with its

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