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1878. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION. PAPERS RELATING TO THE CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Statement by the Chairman of tho Board of Governors. At the annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Canterbury College held in July, 1878, the Chairman, W. Montgomery, Esq., M.H.R., made the following statement respecting the progress made and. the work done in the several departments during the year:— The number of students who attended lectures during the past year ending 30th June was ninetyseven. Of these, twenty were matriculated to theNNcr Zealand University, and of them three held senior University scholarships, and three held junior University scholarships. At the University examination, held in January last, of the four senior scholarships which were awarded two were gained by students of this College. The want of sufficient number of lecture-rooms has been much felt for some time past, and it was therefore a matter of urgent necessity that additional rooms should be provided. The new wing of the College, for which a tender has been accepted, will, when erected, afford ample accommodation for some time to come. The Museum has been closed since the 15th of March last, in consequence of the alterations required, owing to the entrance to the building being changed from the Domain to Antigua Street; and also to allow the Director and his assistants to arrange in proper order in the new building the large and important collection. Many new and valuable specimens have been received and are now being put in their places. The Director expects that the Museum will be reopened to the public in about six weeks from this date. The library has received during the past year considerable additions to the books previously in stock. Eight hundred and fifty volumes have been added to the circulating department, and 328 to the reference library. There are now in the reference department 5,020 volumes, and in the circulating department 5,600. Orders have been sent to England for 750 volumes. Some of these will replace in the circulating library books worn out by use ; some are duplicate works of popular authors, and some are new books. There were 836 subscribers to the circulating library last quarter. The reading-rooms have been regularly supplied with the leading English periodical and English and colonial newspapers. These rooms are open to the public from 8 a.m. till 10 p.m.; the library from 10 a.m. till 9 p.m. The Girls' High School was opened in September last, and during that term ninety pupils attended. During the first term of 1&78 there were 115 pupils. The number this term is ninety-nine, the winter season affecting the attendance. The Inspector-General visited the school last month, and afterwards furnished a report to the Minister of Education, who transmitted a copy to the Board. This report is on the whole very favourable, aud shows that the school is making satisfactory progress. The staff of teachers consists of the lady principal aud four assistants. In addition to those, there are five teachers who give instruction in extra subjects. Tho section of ground on which the school is built being only a quarter of an acre, three adjoining sections have been rented to afford space in which the pupils can take exercise. Owing to the limited accommodation iv the building there was no room which could be used as a kitchen in which the pupils attending the schools could be instructed in cookery; but the necessity of providing the means of such instruction has not been overlooked, and this no doubt will be considered when plans for the new building, proposed to be erected near Cranmer Square, are in preparation. The School of Agriculture is in course of being established. Four hundred and two acres of land have been purchased near Lincoln Railway Station, and tenders have been called for the school buildin "s. There will be accommodation at first for twenty students. The Director of the school was appointed in March last, the Board having previously, by advertisements in the New Zealand and Australian newspapers, requested candidates to send in their applications. The gentleman appointed furnished first-class testimonials as to character, and practical experience in farming, combined with the scientific knowledge required for giving instruction to the students. The buildings will probably be completed in twelve months, when students will be received,