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nursing (35), home science (18), hygiene (8), home-management (15), millinery (106); industrial —agriculture (15), trade drawing (18), woodwork, (carpentry, &c.) (65), principles of carpentry and joinery (21), farm carpentry (24), farm metal-work (20), geometry (15), physical science (34), practical mathematics (22), shearing (17), wool-classing (31); art—painting and design (24), art and crafts (12). In addition the school provided instruction in woodwork and cookery for 523 pupils (308 boys and 215 girls) of public and secondary schools. The most notable increase is that of the commercial classes, the roll numbers of which have increased just over 80 per cent. This may be accounted for by the fact that the depletion of male members of office si all's and the consequent great demand for girls has led a large number to take up commercial subjects; and also by the fact that an increasing number of girls are realizing that it is wise that they should have training in some work which will render them independent members of a regularly organized commercial community. Another pleasing feature is the increase of about 30 per cent, in the industrial classes. I sincerely hope that the increase will be still greater next year, for it is this particular branch of education that we must expand and develop. As a recent speaker in Christchurch said, this can be best done by " the close co-operation of the employer and the school." The time at present at the disposal of the apprentice for instruction and study is not sufficient, neither is it the most opportune, for the students are tired and the brain is not alert, consequently either more energy than is necessary has to be expended in order to acquire knowledge or a repugnance for work is developed. When I say that the time is not sufficient I mean that a fair proportion of their time after labour should be spent in healthful recreation and sport. If the employers could be induced to give their apprentices a certain amount of time off for instruction, to be backed by an equally fair proportion of the apprentice's own time to be spent in a like manner, we male members of office staffs and the consequent great demand for girls has led a large number shall reach a high stage of industrial efficiency. I should like to see Ashburton employers start this important forward movement for the benefit of their apprentices. Nine students entered for the City and Guilds of London Examinations, eight students sat for the Public Service Entrance Examinations, and forty-four have been examined for the award of senior free places. The new additions to the school that are to be made in the early part of next year will remove present disabilities, and make for increased efficiency in the working of the school. The year has been one which the Board of Managers and the various contributing bodies and private subscribers might well be proud of, and it shall be my endeavour with the able assistance of the Board and my staff to continue the successful work of the school so that it shall leave its mark for good upon the community. The thanks of the Board are due to the following contributing bodies : County Council, Borough Council, Canterbury Sheepowners' Union, Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association, High School Board, Borough and Hampstead School Committees, and private subscribers who have generously contributed monetary and other support. A. L. Moore, Director. Extract from the Report of the Managers of the Timaru Technical School. The total number of individual students who joined the school was 336, being eleven short of the number that joined in 1915. As stated in the last year's report, the enrolments for that year were the smallest that had obtained for some years, and it is fairly evident that the reasons given for the falling-off last year —viz., the disturbing influence caused by the war—can be put down as the reason for the continued shrinkage in the number of pupils attending the school. Thirty-one recognized classes were carried on during the year, taught by eighteen different instructors, as follows: Book-keeping (four classes), 150; shorthand (three classes), 89; typewriting (five classes), 96; arithmetic (two classes), 105; English (two classes), 105; cookery (two classes), 42; dressmaking (three classes), 65; millinery (one class), 14; woodwork (two classes), 31 ; building-construction (one class), 6; electricity (one class), II ; Wool-classing (two classes), 41; drawing and painting (two classes), 28; Standard VI. (one class), 13: making a total of 787 class entries for all classes. 153 free pupils joined the school during the year —namely, fifty-nine first-year junior, forty-three second-year junior, twenty-two first-year senior, seventeen second-year senior, and twelve third-year senior. Other students numbered 183, 146 being firstyear students and thirty-seven other than first-year students. Of the 336 students on the rolls, seventeen were under thirteen years of age, ninety-two between thirteen and fifteen years, 101. between fifteen and seventeen years, and 126 over seventeen years of age. The courses of instruction carried on during the year were as follows: Commercial course, consisting of English, arithmetic, book-keeping, typewriting, shorthand, and commercial correspondence; domestic course —English, arithmetic, dressmaking, millinery, cookery, and domestic economy; trade courses—carpentry, architectural drawing and building-construction, also electricity and magnetism; art course —drawing and painting. Wool sorting and classing was also an interesting and well-attended class this year. It is a matter of regret that students as a rule leave the school after completing their free places, although the school offers facilities for these students continuing their studies in more advanced work. The sheep-shearing class was not continued this year owing to the small number of students enrolling, The total number that desired to join this class was four, and these were

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