A.—3

Student Teachers. —These are chosen from the most promising pupils at the various schools, and receive special tuition and training. The programme of work involves all school subjects, as well as instruction in school method and management and in class teaching. Demonstration lessons are given by European teachers, and students are allowed to take a class for lessons that have been thoroughly prepared beforehand. Student teachers who have completed their training and are now appointed to the permanent staff have been favourably reported on by their headmasters. There are eight student teachers in training this year. Curriculum. —All subjects of the curriculum receive due consideration, but special attention has been given to English, reading, arithmetic, health, and agriculture. Woodwork also receives attention. Agriculture.—All the schools in Rarotonga and several in the Group now have large and suitable areas set aside for tropical school gardening. Many kinds of plants and trees are grown, but the main object this year has been to raise citrus trees of the best varieties. There are now in the gardens thousands of rough lemon stock raised from seeds by the children. Many of these have already been budded with the best saleable varieties of orange and grapefruit. The young trees are passed on to the teachers and pupils who do the budding, and are taken home and added to their own plantations. New School Buildings. —Attendance at Aitutaki increased to over 400, and it was necessary to erect three new detached class-rooms of the open-air type. It was also necessary to erect an additional class-room at Titikaveka. At Atiu a heavy gale rendered the main building unsafe. It was therefore decided to make a start with the erection of new school buildings on a more suitable site. To date, three new detached class-rooms have been erected, and school work is being carried on in a normal manner. It is pleasing to mention that these new class-rooms mentioned above have been erected by the parents of the pupils with practically no cost to the Administration. Staff Increases. —A large increase in the number of pupils at Aitutaki necessitated an additional Native teacher and two student teachers. Vernon Reed Shield.—This shield, presented for competition in English, was won this year by the Avarua School. Medical. —The Chief Medical Officer has examined all pupils attending the schools at Rarotonga, and reports that the general health is satisfactory. School Games. —Cricket, Rugby, and basketball are the popular games, and inter-school competitions were keenly contested. PUBLIC WORKS. Only absolutely necessary public works were carried out during the year. Roads.—The maintenance of roads is always a heavy item, the greatest expense being the continual replacement of the coral and gravel surfaces necessary on account of the heavy rains, and the pulverizing effect of heavy traffic. The work of maintaining the main road round the island was done principally by prison labour. In several places this road has been built up and widened, especially at sharp bends, in order to provide for the increased traffic of recent years. Victoria Road leading to the Residency, which was the most dangerous road in Rarotonga, has been doubled in width. The Takuvaine Valley Road has been put into repair. Attention has also been paid to the Ara Metua between Avatiu and Nikao, whilst tapere roads have also been attended to. Bridges.—Necessary maintenance work has been carried out on all bridges. Floods caused damage on the three wooden bridges on the Avatiu Valley Road, and necessary repairs have been effected. A new concrete bridge was also built in the Avatiu Valley. Water-supply. —No serious breaks occurred in any of the village water-supply mains, and full services have been maintained throughout the year. The 3 in. main from the Avatiu intake to the main road has been replaced by 6 in. pipes, the distance involved being just under two miles. During the coming year the Avarua system will be extended to Nikao and Black Rock for a distance of three miles, and this project will serve a considerable number of new homes which are springing up on the Ara Metua between Avatiu and Black Rock on account of increasing cultivation in that area. Public Buildings. —All Government buildings have been kept in good repair. Several have been painted throughout, and these include the Administration offices, Hospital, Avarua School, Survey Office, the Chief Medical Officer's residence, the Residency at Ngatipa, and the Collector of Customs' residence. Telephones. —The telephone system has received regular attention, and is in good working-order. Reef Passages.—Rocks obstructing the centre of the boat passage at Arorangi were blasted out, and the mouth of the passage was widened. Rocks at the mouth of the Takuvaine Stream were removed by blasting in order to prevent the silting-up of the Avarua Harbour near the wharf. AGRICULTURE. Bananas. —Extensive plantings have been carried out in Rarotonga, and many excellent areas are to be found in all districts of the island. Growers have been subjected to much extra work in replanting banana shoots which were blown down by the gales that have visited the island. The average price for the season was 2s. 9d. per case for the fruit only. Tomatoes. —Very heavy plantings were carried out during last season. Growers take a pride in their tomato plots, and a number applied lime and artificial manures with beneficial results. Had the Pacific cargo-steamers called earlier in the season the total exports would have been the heaviest for some years past. The average price obtained by growers was 2s. Bd. per case for the fruit only.

5