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senior students were engaged one of their hours preparing blackboard exercises and drawing from solid models, so that when called upon to give instruction they will always be prepared with a good stock of exercises to choose from; the other hour was spent in teaching drawing in the Normal School. At the annual examination for teachers' certificates, fifty-six passed in freehand, forty in model drawing, thirty-five in practical geometry, and six in perspective. The evening classes were open every night from 7to 9 o'clock; Monday and Wednesday for freehand and model drawing, drawing and shading from the antique, painting, modelling in clay, &c.; Tuesdays and Thursdays, practical plane and solid geometry, mechanical and architectural drawing, &c.; and Friday, for advanced students, drawing and painting from the living model. The number of ladies who study in the evening has greatly increased, and additional accommodation is necessary. During the second and third quarters the rooms were inconveniently crowded. The diligence with which the students apply themselves to their studies is beyond all praise. The Boys' and Girls' High Schools received our attention. The subjects of instruction were, for the boys, freehand drawing from blackboard exercise; freehand drawing, first and second grade, from fiat examples ; drawing from solid models, practical geometry, orthographic projection and mechanical drawing. The same course was followed in the girls' department, substituting perspective, and drawing, and shading from the round for geometrical and mechanical drawing. I have every reason to be satisfied with the year's work. At the close of the session an exhibition of the works by the students was open for three days, and was largely attended. I may here be allowed to add the following remarks in regard to the works exhibited, the number of which was as follows: Freehand outline, 60; mechanical drawings, 92 ; architectural drawings, 89 ; chalk drawings from the flat, 120; from the cast, including figure from the antique, 113; oil and water colour paintings, 120 ; paintings from nature, 25; modelling from the antique busts, 5 ; hand, 1; ornament, 6. When it is considered that nearly all were the work of young men or apprentices engaged dur'r.g the day, that the instruction is given in large classes, the time very short, the hands of the students sometimes ill-fitted for delicate work, I think those who examined the work will agree with me in saying it was far abdve the average in excellence, and reflected great credit upon the students. With a view to encourage the students to increased exertion, the following gentlemen offer prizes for competition at our next exhibition : David Graham, Esq., for the best architectural drawing of a Gothic window; W. Wright, Esq., for the best study of the figure from the antique; a gentleman who did not leave his name, but left £2, for the study of fruit or flowers from nature. If other gentlemen were to follow the example thus set, or were the Education Board to offer for competition a few prizes, I am sure it would have a beneficial effect. I have, &c, David C. Hutton, Art Master.

SOUTHLAND. Sib,— Invercargill, 31st March, 1885. In compliance with the provisions of clause 103 of " The Education Act, 1877," I have the honour to submit the following report of the Southland Education Board, for the year ending 31st December, 1884 :— The Boakd. —At the beginning of the year the Board consisted of Messrs. Macdonald (Chairman), Lumsden, Mori'son, Mclntosh, McLeod, Baldey, Turnbull, Matheson, and Feldwick. The three retiring members were Messrs. Baldey, McLeod, and Feldwick. At the annual election in March, the two former gentlemen were re-elected, and Mr. James S. Shanks, Mataura, was elected in the place of Mr. Feldwick, who did not seek re-election. The Board held twelve ordinary and three special meetings, the number of attendances of each member being as follows: Mr. Macdonald 15, Mr. Lumsden 15, Mr. Morison 15, Mr. Baldey 15, Mr. McLeod 14, Mr. Matheson 14, Mr. Turnbull 12, Mr. Mclntosh 6, and Mr. Shanks (nine months) 7 ; the average attendance was 7-5. The Executive Committee, consisting of seven members, held twenty-four meetings, the number of attendances of each member being as follows : Mr. Macdonald 24, Mr. Baldey 23, Mr. Lumsden 22, Mr. Matheson 19, Mr. McLeod 15, Mr. Turnbull 14, and Mr. Shanks 7; the average attendance was 5-2. The statutory meetings of the Board are held on the first Friday of every month, and the meetings of the Executive are, as a rule, held on every alternate Wednesday. As the eleven returns prepared by the Board for the Education Department, which are printed in the shape of an appendix to this report, are replete with definite and exhaustive information regarding the educational statistics of the district, such as school attendance for each quarter of the year, age of the scholars and their classification according to the standards, the number of schools and their classification, the number and names of the teachers, their classification, status, and salaries, &c, there is little left for the Board to report on, except to draw attention to the progress made in the educational concerns of the district for the last year as compared with those of former years. Attendance. —The attendance at the schools has been affected by the weather, and by the prevalence of diseases incidental to childhood to a very considerable extent. The attendance during the last quarter of 1884 shows a large increase over the three previous quarters. The total number of pupils at the beginning and end of the year was 6,198 and 6,385 respectively, being an increase of 187. The working average for last quarter of 1883 and 1884 respectively, was 4,538 and 4,896, being an increase of 358. The progress as regards attendance for the last quarter of 1881, 1882, 1883, and 1884 is shown in the following table :—