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the case being received at thi.s school for treatment. In cases where the speech does not appear to be defective and where the child appears to hear most of what is said to him it may be that if he is plaeied in a suitable position in the class-room — i.e., in the e:entre erf the front re>w -the child may be able to make satisfactory progress at an ordinary school. On the other hand, it is surprising how very serious deafness may go undetected for years, and what an extremely severe handicap to education even comparatively slight deafness is to a child, when taught in a public school, particularly in one where the classes are unusually large. Such a child, if mentally bright, usually picks up a certain amount of lip-reading, and by watching the teacher's face and the movements of the other children, combined with a skilful copying, may keep up with the work erf the class, for a time to a surprising extent. Cases of more serious deafness allied with only average mental ability are often classed as mental defectives, anel their eieafness overlooked. Slightly deaf children are freepiently thought by teachers to be wilfully inattentive, ane! punished accordingly. This, combined with the constant effort to catch indistinct sounds in noisy class-rooms, may set up a serious condition of nerve-strain, which may undermine the general health and further deteriorate the hearing of the child. The hearing of all such, cases should be carefully tested by their teacher, and if it is found that, when occupying a, position in the centre of the front row of the class, they are unable to distinguish Avhat the teacher, when speaking in an ordinary teme, says, or that they cannot hear the children in other parts of the room speaking or reading, the necessity for special instructiem at this school is indicated. Cases erf elefective speech or of stammering should also be reported. The expenditure on the school for the hist financial year is as follows :- Salaries .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,981 Maintenance of pupils and sundry expenses .. .. .. 1,858 Travelling-expenses . . .. .. .. .. .. 228 Maintenance of buildings, furnishings, &c. .. .. .. 70 6,137 Less— . Parental contributions .. .. .. .. 1,339 Amounts collected from Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards 1 ,363 Sundry other recoveries . . .. .. .. .. 42 2,744 Net expenditure .. .. .. .. £3,393 The net expenditure for the year 1916-17 was £4,277. Jubilee Institute for the Blind, Auckland. The Jubilee Institute for the Blind, Auckland, which is established as a separate institution under the provisions of the Hospitals anel Charitable Institutions Act, is governed by a Boarel of Trustees, four of whom are appointee! by the Government. Provisiem is maele at the Institute for the education and training of aelults as well as children, although the IMucation Department is chiefly interesteel in the latter. Tn adelition to the ordinary school subjects kindergarten classes are held, and instruction is also given in music, swimming, typewriting and shorthand, sewing, knitting, bead work, &c. Technical work and manual training forms an important part of the curriculum. The boys and men receive instruction in woodwork and in several trades, such as piano-tuning, mat anel basket making, &c, while the girls are taught househokl duties, which will be erf great benefit to them when they return to their homes after completing their eelucation in the day school. The amount paid by the Government towards the cost of training twentynine pupils was £757 3s. 9d. (includes £30 paid for instruction in woodwe>rk), and the amount refunded to the Government in the way of parental contributiems anel payments by Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards was £782 9s. Bel. The amount paid by the Government as subsidy to the Board of Trustees under the provisions of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act was £2,051 18s. Bd.