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Summary of the School Fund Accounts for the Year ending 31st December, 1879. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balances in Bank and in hand on Ist Jan., By Cleaning (allowances, &a.) .. .. 377 7 7 1879.. .. .. .. 514 9 6 Fuel .. .. .. 238 15 3 From Education Board— Books, maps, &c, for general school use .. 72 16 11 Ordinary grants .. .. 1,301 1 5 Bepairs not paid directly by Board .. 1,023 12 5 Special grants .. .. .. 708 6 4 Office expenses .. .. .. 204 14 5 Donations, subscriptions, &c, from others Prizes.. .. .. .. 25 2 10 than Education Board .. .. 486 10 5 School fetes .. .. .. 15 2 Balances .. .. .. 1,066 6 1 £3,010 7 8 £3,010 7 8

REPORTS ON THE TRAINING COLLEGES. CANTERBURY. Sir,— Christchurch, March 31st, 1880. I have the honour to submit the following report on the Normal School, for the period from July to December 1879 : — We commenced work after the midwinter vacation with 40 students, of whom 31 were females and 9 males. Three new students were r admitted between July and December, and a few other candidates applied for admission, but were unable to comply with the required conditions. In order to prepare the students for the examination in science and drawing, instruction has been given in science, geometrical drawing and perspective, by Mr. Newton, and in freehand and model drawing by Mr. Rayner. Many of the students had received no previous instruction in these subjects, and consequently although reasonable progress has been made, the results obtained this year cai«not be very great. I regret that vocal music, now a compulsory subject, is not taken up more heartily by the students. A large number of them received little or no instruction in music before coming to the Normal School, and manifest great apathy in the study of this subject. They appear to think that no one but a born musical genius can learn to sing a psalm tune, and that total ignorance of music is quite pardonable, if not indeed commendable. During the past year several students have been sent out in cases of emergency to take temporary charge of schools. In every case this has proved so detrimental to the student's studies, that I would advise the discontinuance of this practice. . I would advise that provision should be made for exercising some restraint on the liberty of students to go up for examination. At present, any student who is over nineteen years of age may go up for examination in any class he chooses, although he may be quite unprepared to pass in even the lowest. The students have spent nearly one-third of their time in teaching in the Practising Department under the supervision of the regular staff, and I find, from the Inspector's report, that some classes which have been taught almost entirely by students, have passed 100 per cent, in the examination, and have been commended for their work. The staff of the boys' school has been increased by the appointment to the head mastership of Mr. E. Rayner, a trained teacher of long experience. Facilities have thereby been afforded for a more effectual supervision of the student teachers than it was possible to have while Mr. Thornton had to discharge the duties of both head master and second master. I have, &c, Edwin Watkins, The Chairman Education Board. (Acting Principal). List of Students.-—Allison, Laura; Barrett, Susan; Barrett, Emma; Bartrum, Fanny (appointed to Hororata); Buxton, Alice; Calvert, Elizabeth; Crawford, Margaret; Dunnage, Edith; Dobson,. Emily (withdrew on account of ill-health); Dewar, Janet (withdrew on account of ill-health); Hiatt, Mary; Hall, Mary; Jenkins, Mary; Kitchingman, Eliza (appointed assistant in Normal School); Knight, Henrietta; Mannering, A. E.; Mannering, Maud; Mills, Mary; Moore, Jane; Ockford, Florence; Reese, Maria; Ross, Sibella; Rowley, E. M.; Smith, Lucy (withdrew on account of ill-health); Spensley, Isabella ; Seager, Henrietta (appointed to Pigeon Bay side school); Seay, Agnes ; Washbourne, Fanny (withdrew on account of ill-health); Wroughton, Mabel; Weir, Martha; Willis, Eliza. Allan, John C.; Banks, William; Dixon, William; Kitchingman, Henry; Prudhoe, William (withdrew on account of deafness); Thomas, John; Watson, John; Watson, Joseph; Whitham, Robert. Admitted since July; Bain, Mary; Peach, Emily; Weavers, Edith. Total number on roll, 43. Average attendance : Males, 6*5 ; females, 26*5 ; toal, 33.

DUNEDIN. Sir,— I have the honor, in accordance with your instructions, to submit my report of the Dunedin Normal School for the year ending December 31st, 1879. The attendance of students during the year has been 16 males and 43 females. Of these, 4 males and 20 females were already classified, and entered on the second year's course with a view either to acquire greater skill in the art of teaching by some months' continuous practice, or to qualify themselves for a higher certificate. A considerable number of these have been required for service in the public