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New Zealand demands urgent consideration. Some attention has been devoted at certain schools to sheet-metal work and to pattern-making and moulding, and even, more attention might profitably be devoted to these subjects. Building-construction and Carpentry. —There has been a greater demand for instruction in these subjects than in the previous years, and the technical high schools in the large centres have had strong classes in those subjects. Again, there has been a considerable expenditure upon new tools and replacement of worn tools so as to keep a reasonably good standard of completeness. In cabinetmaking many successful classes are now chiefly composed of amateurs who have made woodwork their hobby. Some very good work embodying sound design, construction, and finish lias been accomplished, and provided duo, attention is given to such points as these such classes are worthy of every encouragement. As an experiment simple woodwork was assigned as a part of their course to a class of girls taking the domestic course in a technical high school, and the results have certainly justified the making of the experiment. Domestic Science and Domestic Arts. —Of the technical, high schools and technical schools providing day courses some seventeen have fully organized courses in domestic science and arts, and in all schools some time is given to this work. The courses of instruction generally include some or all of the following subjects : English, experimental science, cookery, laundry work, dressmaking, millinery, pure and applied art, hygiene, first aid and home nursing, arithmetic and household accounts, music, drill, and games. As is naturally to be expected, in places where the technical high schools provide the sole post-primary courses more attention is usually paid to the scientific and theoretical than to the practical side of home-making, and the course in such cases is generally modelled so that third-year students may sit for matriculation, taking home science as a subject. Such students are then, under certain conditions, eligible for bursaries, and a number pass on to the University and take the home-science diploma course with a view to becoming teachers. In other schools greater stress is laid on the practical side of the training, and excellent results are achieved. This is the case generally in the larger centres where technical schools are able to provide courses not necessarily leading to University examinations, and are thus free to develop on broader lines. While in these schools the cooking, dressmaking, hygiene, &c, are as a rule well taught, the same cannot always be said of such subjects as English, arithmetic, and drawing, which are sometimes regarded as of lesser importance. The girls are often put to do tho. same work in these subjects as others preparing for definite examinations, with unsatisfactory results. Though, no doubt, the difficulties of organization are great, especially in the case of the smaller schools, every endeavour should be made to differentiate the courses so that the teaching shall be purposeful and designed to meet the real needs of the child. Of the actual work accomplished on the practical side it can be said that a very good standard is almost always reached, and that in certain schools extraordinarily good work is done. The reasons for this are not far to seek, for the course, in a great measure, supplies the instinctive needs of the adolescent girl, who thus brings to bear the one thing most necessary in the educative process —a deep and true interest with its accompanying pleasurable emotion. It is obvious, however, that many aspects of the question of training in domestic science and arts can be dealt with adequately only by a woman, and it is therefore a matter for congratulation that the year under review is the last of those in which tho services of a highly qualified woman Inspector have not been available. Commercial Subjects. —It is becoming increasingly common to admit only girls to two-years commercial courses where a considerable part of the time is devoted to shorthand and typewriting. For boys wishing to take a commercial course a modified general course is arranged in which is incorporated book-keeping and commercial arithmetic, and in some cases a full course for the Accountants' Preliminary Examination of the University. It is being realized, more fully that a good general education of more modern type is the best preparation for a successful commercial career, and that undue early specialization must be avoided. Drawing. —As a rule mechanical drawing is well taught, the schools being well supplied with models, parts of machines, and engines to serve as materials for instruction. In the matter of free drawing, including design, lettering, painting, modelling, there is a great diversity of aims and attainments. Some schools devote considerable time to drawing and obtain excellent results, while in others very little time or attention is devoted to it. It should be the aim of every school to secure at least one teacher well qualified in drawing and enthusiastic in the teaching of it, so that the attention which it merits may be given to this very important means of self-expression. During the last few years the teaching staff of the Dominion has been strengthened by the addition of several graduates of the Royal College of Arts, London, and the effects of their teaching are now becoming apparent. Singing. —Again, very different degrees of attention are paid to this subject. In all schools boys as well as girls should be taught to sing. Some schools have prepared pupils to give cantatas and operettas in public in order to aid the school funds ; others have inaugurated " community sings," and have school orchestras, whose efforts are made use of at school assemblies, anniversaries, and socials. There are others, again, in which no time at all is given to singing, and thereby a great opportunity is missed by neglecting a subject which can do so much to raise the tone of a school by giving opportunity for corporate self-expression and intellectual enjoyment. Physical Exercises and Games. —The importance of these outdoor activities is fully realized. It is the general practice to devote daily some fifteen or twenty minutes to more or less formal exercises,

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