I E.—s

classes, not including four soldiers, who held free places. The class in motor engineering drew the largest number of pupils, and the best thanks of the Managers arc due to the instructor and also to Mr. Bray for the use of his garage and workshop for the practical portion of the work. The buildings and furniture are in good order and repair, and reflect credit upon the caretaker. The Director, Mr. V. Piper, is to be commended for the very able and careful manner in which he carried out his duties. Unfortunately, he. removed from the district early in the year. His resignation was received and accepted with genuine regret. Chas. J. Talbot, Chairman. Extract from the Report of the Controlling Authority of the Rangiora Technical Classes. The attendance at all classes conducted in 1919 was good, practically double what it was two years ago. Dress-cutting continues to be a very popular class, and in 1919 there were more pupils offering than could be accommodated. Full advantage is taken of the woodwork evening classes, and excellent work continues to be done by the students in attendance. The chief demand in the district is, however, for classes in agricultural subjects, and since the whole machinery for the conduct of these classes exists in the Rangiora High School it is to be regretted that classes in agriculture cannot be established. A considerable number of youths holding technical free places apply for admission each year, but in accordance with the Department's wishes these applications arc now being discouraged. At the same time the Board hopes that tho Department will see its way to modify regulations with a view to providing more facilities for vocational training in agricultural subjects. The Board is prepared to conduct classes in agricultural science, dairy science, farmers' costing accounts and book-keeping generally, levelling and farm surveying, wool-classing, &c,, as soon as departmental restrictions are removed. W. A. Banks, Chairman, Rangiora High School Board Extract from the Report of the Chairman of the Board of Governors of Canterhury College. School of Engineering. —The revenue for the year in this department of the College was £5,565, an increase of £918 over that for 1918. Government grants, including capitation, amounted to £3,1.11, and contributions from endowments £1,725. The total of students' fees reached £911, exceeding that of the previous year by £357. The expenditure for the year was £6,052, or £1,689 more than for 1918, and of the total amount £3,457 was expended in salaries. The overdraft on the Buildings Loan Account was reduced from £1,360 to £248. The total number of students on the books, including those attending evening classes, was 214, as against 18Q in 1918. The number of matriculated students is increasing rapidly. To show that the school is fulfilling its work as a national school it is only necessary to ask a few of the students for their home address : it is then found that they come from every part of the Dominion. A list of some of the ex-students of the school was prepared during the course of last year. This showed that men trained at Canterbury College were filling positions of importance not only in the Dominion, but ali over the world. Successive Ministers of Education have agreed that the Engineering School at Canterbury College is in a similar position to the Medical School at Dunedin, and should therefore be recognized as a national school and have national support. It is proposed to erect additional buildings between the existing Engineering School buildings and the Boys' High School, and also to take over the newer portion of the Boys' High School buildings for the School of Engineering purposes; but the school is likely to be greatly hampered for space during the next two years, as it is clear that until the new Boys' High School is erected the existing buildings cannot be vacated by the High School. School of Art. —The School of Art accounts show a total revenue of £3,111, and a total outgo of £2,735. The revenue is £1,079 more than for the preceding year, and the payments increased by £143. The contribution from endowments was £500. Fees amounted to £653, and Government grants to £1,650. The Government grants included capitation for free places, £4-42; capitation for technical classes, £1,063; and apparatus and material, £145. The payments include £2,143 for salaries. The number of individual students attending the School of Art increased from 345 in 1918 to 481. in 1919. Numbers arc not necessarily a sure indication of success, yet they clearly show a growing demand for the kind of work the school stands for. It is to be wished that residents of Christchurch would take the trouble to visit the School of Art and see for themselves the work that has been carried out. It has certainly produced a sculptor of more than ordinary attainments. The classes for apprentices in sigrtwriting and decorating have not been quite the success it was hoped they would be at the beginning of the year. This is due to the laxity of attendance at the evening classes, and possibly to the fact that youth is attracted more to the picture-shows than to art. Compulsory attendance appears to be the only remedy. The Board has recently appointed Mr. A. F. Nicoll to the position of Director, and he takes up his duty at the beginning of April. Mr. Nicoll is a former student of the school, and well known as a painter in New 'Zealand. He has also had experience in Edinburgh, and saw active service during the European war. I wish to record the Board's recognition of the very excellent services rendered by Mr. Gurnsey during the time he has filled the position as Acting-Director. The numbers attending are such that very soon the whole question of remodelling the school will have to receive the earnest consideration of the Board. Extract from the Report op the Professor tn Charge, Canterbury College School of Engineering. Following on the conclusion of the war there has been a marked increase in the number of students. Many returned from tho front, and it is satisfactory to find that all who had entered in courses here decided to return and complete in preference to doing so at an English university. The number of matriculated men studying for the University degree, the College Associateship, and the Surveyor's Examination was seventy-three, an increase of forty-eight on the number of 1918. The number of evening students was 141, a slight falling-off as'compared with 1918. The total number of names on the books was thus 214, as against 180 of the previous year. Thirty-one lectures and 109 hours' teaching in laboratory-work, drawing, problems, field-work and plotting, making in all 110 hours' instruction, were given each week. The hour-attendances of students were 1,679 per week, or nearly double those of 1.918,

26