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Extract prom the Report op the Director of the Timaru Technical School. The total number of students who enrolled during the year was 337, being one more than the number for 1916. Of this number, 124 were admitted as free pupils and 213 as paying pupils. Twenty-four recognized classes were carried on, taught by thirteen different instructors. The total number of class entries was 673, as follows: English (compulsory), 93; arithmetic (compulsory), 102; book-keeping, 106; shorthand, 65; typewriting, 88; cookery, 41; dressmaking, 40; electricity, 10; woodwork, 22; wool-classing, 22; drawing and painting, 22; motor-car class, 40; horticulture, 22. In addition to the above, 30 boys from the Boys' High School attended for wool-classing, and 18 girls from the Girls' High School for typewriting. The commercial course was again the most popular in the school. Of the free pupils who joined 83 took book-keeping, 74 typewriting, 59 shorthand, 86 English, 94 arithmetic. The numbers for the other classes were as follows: Cookery, 4; dressmaking, 12; electricity, 6; wool-classing, 6; drawing, 10; motor-car class, 3. The free pupils numbered 31- less than for the previous year, and it is somewhat difficult to find a satisfactory explanation for the continued falling-ofi. It may be that it is easier for boys and girls to find positions since so many men have gone on active service, and also that picture entertainments prove an attraction. All boys and girls who have applied to the school for instruction have been provided for, and no demand has been made for instruction in any subject not on the syllabus. The results obtained during the year were highly satisfactory so far as the instruction was concerned, and this was proved by the results of the annual examinations. It was felt that the pupils had not done better work in any previous year, and the attention given to the instruction was all that could be desired. It, is becoming quite a common practice for business people to apply to the school for junior assistants, and it is often left to the Director to select the pupil he considers best fitted for the position. The eveningclasses are not taken as much advantage of as they should be, and to some extent this is owing to the high salaries and wages paid to juniors, who after they get a position do not see the necessity of continuing their studies. Two new classes added to the syllabus this year proved very successful —the motor-car class and the horticulture class. It is intended to carry on classes next year in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering, and also agriculture, if a sufficient number -of pupils can be enrolled. It is thought that free pupils who are not allowed to take up commercial subjects may take up one of these courses. The balance-sheet shows a credit balance which is £83 less than last year. This is accounted for by the fact that the capitation earned this year was less, owing to the smaller number of free pupils enrolled, and also owing to extra expenditure in the way of repairs, advertising, <fec, and the general increase in the cost of supplies of all kinds. The time has come when some effort should be made to carry on a technical high school in Timaru if the young people of the district are to get the full benefit of the technical education they are entitled to. The evening classes are doing good work, but, after all, the young people would be better equipped for their work if they had a year or two at a day technical school. G. Moffat, Director. Extract from the Report of the Temuka Technical School Board. During the year eight classes were carried on. The students showed marked enthusiasm and earnestness in their work, most of them completing 80 per cent, or more of the possible attendances. In the motor-engineering class the theoretical part dealing with electricity roused much interest. The practical part taken in two local garages lent by Mr. Andrews and Mr. Hally proved most useful, as also did the work with various pieces of machinery and with the motor chassis in the lecture-room. The sheep-shearing class was quite successful, and though the weather was bad, 2,235 sheep were shorn, and shorn well, by the class. The farmers again went to much trouble, inconvenience, and expense to help in the management of the class, and the thanks of the Board are specially due to Messrs. S. McCully, G. Cartwright, S. Trumper, and Guild, who, although having sheds of their own, used the association's shed for a part of the time until the course was completed, so as to ensure the success of the instruction. One afternoon towards the end of the course the shed was thrown open to the public, and a large number of farmers and others took advantage of the opportunity to inspect the work of shearing, classing, and pressing. Most of the students at the end of the term secured stands in different sheds. One young man cameall the way from Dunedin to join the class. The wool class was most enthusiastic. The students are now well known throughout the district, and all but a few took charge of sheds, and one went as far as the North Island. Excellent reports on their work have been received. Mr. J. Mclnnes, of Winchester, again lent the class a large amount of wool. In spite of the considerable inconvenience entailed Mr. Mclnnes continues his support because he has the welfare of technical education at heart, and is pleased to see the young men making progress. Mr. H. Bell also takes a great interest in the wool class, and during the year secured for the wool-classing room three very valuable stud fleeces. Those who so kindly donated fleeces were the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, Moeraki Estate, and Messrs. A, R. Guild and F. Hayhurst. In the commercial class excellent progress was made. At the close of the session a, paper in book-keeping, equal to the teachers' C standard, was set, two of the students gaining over 70 per cent. ' The class was larger than it has been for many years. All the pupils of the ambulance class gained certificates, the examining doctor stating in his report that all the papers were of a high order, and that the percentage obtained by each pupil was above the average. Three classes for dressmaking were conducted, and the pupils attended with great regularity. Altogether 119 individual students attended the school, as compared with 116 for 1916. During the year it was announced that there would be no money available from the Hobson Estate, but in spite of that fact the finances are in a healthy condition, due largely to the Board's