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WELLINGTON. (Chairman, Mr. T. Forsyth.) Manual Training.—There have been some interesting community efforts carried out by the pupils attending the manual instruction classes. In one " help the school " effort, the girls volunteered to do some baking for a fair that was being held. The School Committee supplied the ingredients required, and the result was a substantial offering to the tea-room and cake-stall, with a satisfactory financial increase in the school funds at the conclusion of the fair. In many of the home-science classes the girls have been specially instructed in serving at table and table-setting. During one of the Supervisor's visits he complimented the teacher and her pupils on the excellent and (iainty tabledisplay which they had arranged with the equipment at their disposal. The girls afterwards sat down and partook of the meal as it was arranged. He considers that the ajsthetic benefit involved in such a display cannot be overestimated. The community efforts of the pupils in the woodwork classes have consisted in the making of bookshelves, cases for gramophone records, umpire's stand for tennis tournaments, and various pieces of apparatus for teaching purposes, all to be used in connection with the work of the schools. During the third term a large amount of individual work of the pupil's own selection was carried out in the woodwork classes. Some of the principal articles made were as follows : Tea-trays, umbrella-stands, letter-boxes, box for wireless set, stools, wall and table book-cases, fire-screens, palm-stands, and many other articles for household and individual use. Two articles which received special attention by a large number of Wellington City boys were model aeroplanes and seaplanes, and the ingenuity displayed in carrying out the smallest details in the construction of these models was remarkable. School Committees : Contributions, Allowances. —The Board acknowledges with appreciation the loyalty and the devoted labours of many Committees in their efforts to improve the school and its environment. The Board's officers are always ready to advise and as required to produce suggestive plans of improvement of grounds and premises. The interest in the schools is reflected in the steady growth of the amounts raised on which subsidy is claimed. The amounts for three years, 1927, 1928, and 1929, are £2,150, £2,258, and £2,498 respectively. The activity of the Home and School Associations and of the teachers has in many instances been a material factor in this result. NELSON. (Chairman, Mr. F. W. 0. Smith.) Earthquake. —One of the greatest disturbances in the history of our district was the disastrous earthquake which occurred at 10.20 a.m. on Monday, 17th June last. All schools were in session and it is most gratifying that, with one exception, all the children were removed from the buildings without serious injury. Lola Dent, an infant pupil at the Westport School was struck by a falling chimney and suffered a broken leg and injuries to her head. The little sufferer was for several months an inmate of the Westport Hospital, but is now making a good recovery. The pupils of the Newton Flat School had a very narrow escape. A spur of the hill on the opposite side of the road fronting the school came down, completely demolishing the building. The pupils rushing to safety were caught in the fringe of the slip, but fortunately suffered only minor cuts and bruises. The Board desires to express to all teachers its appreciation of the manner in which they saw to the children's safety during the trying period. Altogether 109 schools and teachers' residences were damaged, the most serious case being the Westport Primary School. Either the Secretary or Architect immediately visited all the schools in the district, with the exception of those between Corbyvale and Karamea, which were inaccessible for some weeks, and arrangements were made for the carrying-out of the necessary repairs. Voluntary Contributions and Subsidies. —School Committees have rendered excellent service in raising funds for the general improvements to the school-grounds, the establishment of school libraries, and other activities in connection with the schools. The Department's scheme of supplying gramophones and pianos has been taken advantage of by many Committees, and a considerable proportion of the schools are now equipped with these instruments. Typewriters have been obtained by several Committees for the district high schools, and five Committees were successful in raising funds for the erection of dental clinics. During the year fifty-one Committees claimed subsidies on cash contributions amounting to £1,032 7s. 2d. The Board paid £25 6s. from its General Fund by way of supplementary grants towards school libraries. CANTERBURY. (Chairman, Mr. R. Wild.) School Committees.—The local representatives of most of the schools continue to take an active part in educational affairs of the respective districts, but in too many cases it is significant that the householders fail to attend the annual meetings in sufficient numbers to be able to elect Committees. The main reason appears to be a recognition of the fact that a School Committee's powers are very nominal, and that its chief work is the raising of money which it considers should be provided by the State for school purposes. Agricultural Instruction.—The quality of the work in agriculture and agricultural science has shown a distinct improvement on that of the previous year. This is due principally to the Board's policy of insisting that in all cases the scheme of instruction shall be fully carried out, and also to the fact that the agricultural instructors have directed their efforts towards ensuring that this end shall be attained.