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Library and Periodicals.—The library now consists of 120 volumes upon technical matters. These are lent to the students as their studies require. The library has been increased during the year by about a dozen works, and many donations have been made. Genekal.—The Masterton Branch closed during the latter part of the year, owing to the difficulty of obtaining a suitable instructor upon the retirement of Miss Holmes, who resided in Masterton. There seems to be a general impression that students attending the Technical School have perforce to go through such a tedious grounding that it is at least two or three years before a student is allowed to paint in water- or oil-colour This is decidedly not the case, and has an injurious effect on the school. I certainly ask that a student should have at least an elementary knowledge of drawing and light and shade, otherwise it is utterly impossible to paint correctly No amount of paint elaborately put on will make a picture or a good design. Good sound drawing is the basis of true work, and nothing can be done without it. Our school is not for the purpose of teaching persons to paint pretty things as an amusement, but to give knowledge that may be useful and practical in daily life. I may say that a student working steadily upon the ordinary class days in each week should reach the water-colour work in at least six or nine months. I have, &c, The Chairman of the Wellington Education Board. A. D Eiley, Director

HAWKB'S BAY Sir, — Education Office, Napier, Ist January 1392. In accordance with the requirements of " The Education Act, 1877, I have the honour to report upon the condition of education in this district. The following gentlemen composed the Board for the year 1891 The Hon. J D Ormond, M.L.C. (Chairman) Captain W E. Bussell, M.H.E., G H. Swan, Esq , M.H.E., Eev D Sidey, H. Baker, Esq., J W Carlile, Esq. E. Harding, Esq , l< 1 Sutton, Esq , and T Tanner, Esq Schools and School Districts. —Several new districts have been gazetted, and some of the old ones altered and enlarged to meet the requirements of the district. Arrangements have been made to open new schools at the commencement of the year at Maharahara, near Woodville, at Tiniroto, centrally situated between Wairoa and Gisborne and a subsidised school at Waipiro Bay, on the East Coast also, arrangements are partly completed to start an assisted school at Port Awanui, near East Cape. School-buildings.—The Board regret they have been unable to meet the demand for buildings. The main part of the Building Fund apportioned to this district last year was expended in necessary additions, repairs, and enlargements to existing schools, leaving several much-needed requirements unprovided-for, although the Board assisted the Government grant by a sum of £1,000 from the School Fund. The teacher's residence at Waipawa that was burnt down has been rebuilt. I cannot too strongly impress upon the Government the urgent necessity for an increase of the building grant for next year, in order that provision may be made for the necessary additional school accommodation and also for teachers' residences. The want of the latter in country districts especially is a great drawback —in many instances teachers have to live in unsuitable homes. I regret to have to repeat in this report what has been stated in many previous yearly reports—that the funds placed at the Board s disposal for providing school accommodation are totally inadequate to enable the Board to properly give effect to the requirements of the Education Act, and I trust that this year more suitable provision may be made. School Attendance. —The following return shows a comparative statement of the number of children on the roll and the average attendance in the schools under the Board from 1878 to date [not all reprinted] :—

School Committees. —The School Committees still continue to do good work, and several of them have shown their appreciation of the Board's endeavours to assist them, by subscribing liberally towards repairing school-buildings, fencing, &c. The Board have in every instance, where funds at their disposal permitted, fostered this principle of self-reliance, and will continue to do so where practicable. The Board have thought it advisable in the interests of education to make a slight departure from the course hitherto pursued by the Board in the appointment of teachers, in selecting by a committee of the Board the most eligible applications, and forwarding such selected applications to the School Committees to recommend from, instead of sending the whole of the applications, as was formerly done. Scholabships.—Twenty-four scholarships have been granted this year making the number of existing scholarships up to thirty-seven, and it is pleasing to note that several of the smaller schools have successfully competed. The principle upon which some of the Commissioners' scholarships

Averagi WeeklNumber on the Roll. Average Attendance. Year. March. June. Sept. Dec. Per- , ° I centage for T p Four j Sf?^ e Quarters.; ™™ us March. June. Average, ! r ~ f° i centage Sept. Doc. j, our | Increase Quarters, j Previous Year. 1878 1888 1891 1,520 1,797 5,902 5,968 6,303 6,361 1,854 5 841 6,251 1,985 5 758 6,300 1,789 5 867-25 6,303-75 6-4 3-8 1,259 1,612 4,686 4,733 4,922 5 074 1,580 1 6491,525 4 673 4,6274,679-75 5,109 4,8644 992-25 8-3 2-9