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an ordinary public school managed directly by the Board), was appointed, in addition to his other duties, to the position of Principal of the Training College. Mr. J. R. Don was appointed Viceprincipal. The report of the Principal is appended. The attendance of students during the year was— Students in course of 1895 — M. F. Total. Left during 1895 — M. F. Total. Remaining from 1894 ... 8 10 18 Teaching in public schools ... 02 2 Admitted during 1895 ... 9 6 15 Left the service ... ... 03 3 Left during 1895 ..... 0 5 5 On the books, December, 1895 17 21 38 The cost of the institution for the year was: Salaries, £508 Is. 9d.; allowances to students, £490 195.; incidentals, £16 6s. 3d.: total, £1,015 7s. Manual and Technical Instruction Act. —The Board appointed a special committee to consider the provisions of "The Manual and Technical Instruction Act, 1895." This committee gave considerable attention to the question of introducing manual instruction into the Board's schools, and of assisting technical education within the district. With respect to " manual instruction," the committee were unanimously of opinion that advantage could not be taken of the Act until the department sees its way to sanction such instruction being given within school hours, and to allow it to count as part of the ordinary school course. It is to be hoped that Parliament will, without delay, repair the deficiencies in last year's legislation to which attention is directed in the report of the Board's special committee, which is as follows : — " We, the committee appointed to report as to whether the Board should avail themselves of the provisions of ' The Manual and Technical Instruction Act, 1895,' and, if they think they should do so, to suggest a scheme, have the honour to report as follows : After careful consideration, and having conferred with the committee of management of the technical classes, we have arrived at certain conclusions, and have the honour to report as follows : — "In the Act the distinction between manual instruction and technical instruction is clearly drawn. As used in the Act, the term ' manual instruction' means instruction 'in the practical handling of fools and the actual construction of models and other articles in wood, metal, clay, or other material' ; while ' technical instruction 'is defined to mean ' instruction in the principles of science and art applicable to industries, and in the application of special branches of science and art to specific industries and employments. It does not exclude such instruction in the use of tools and appliances as is necessary to the full illustration of the application of any branch of science or art to any specific industry or employment.' The distinction is maintained throughout the Act,' manual instruction' and ' technical instruction' being dealt with in entirely different ways. ' Manual instruction ' is to be given in the primary schools either (1) as an integral part of the ordinary school course, as if that subject had been included in the list of subjects prescribed in the 84th section of the Act, or (2) outside of the ordinary school hours, either by teachers belonging to the school or by an instructor specially appointed by the Board and approved by the Minister. In the former, case no extra allowance is to be made for the subject of manual instruction; in the latter case an allowance is to be made ' for every unit of the average attendance at such instruction,' the allowance being 2s. 6d. for the quarter, and in country districts 3s. 9d. ' Country districts 'is defined to mean ' any locality not less than five miles distant from a town or borough of more than 5,000 inhabitants.' Now, with regard to the provision for manual instruction in the ordinary school hours, the first question that arises is whether the Minister proposes to make any modifications in the present standard requirements. On communicating with the Inspector-General on the point, .we were informed that ' it is not proposed to omit any part of the standard syllabus in consideration of any manual instruction given in public schools.' In these circumstances we should never think of recommending that manual instruction should be added, apart from all considerations of expense, &c. As to the general question of the desirability of introducing manual instruction, we are of opinion that if a scheme could be devised and carried out in which such instruction could be so conducted as to form an integral part of the general education of the pupil, and not for the purposes of imparting the principles of any trade, it would be of the utmost importance to introduce it as a part of the primary-school course. But we are of opinion that the great expense that would necessarily be entailed upon the Board by any scheme that would be at all adequate renders it quite impracticable to undertake the subject under the present Act. It will be admitted that unless the matter is taken in hand properly it were best left alone altogether, because a great deal of money might be frittered away to very little purpose. A scheme of manual instruction issued by the Committee of Council on Education (England) has been brought under our notice by the Education Department, and there can be no doubt that if such a course of instruction as is there laid down could be carried out it would be of the greatest advantage. But the expense of providing the necessary workrooms, tools, and apparatus, together with skilled instructors, would be such as to be entirely beyond the means proposed to be supplied to Boards for carrying out such work. Such instruction, to be of any use in the process of education, must be conducted on scientific principles; and to this end skilled instructors are absolutely necessary. We are aware that it is a common notion that ' manual' and ' technical' instruction consists in children being taught by an ordinary carpenter, or even by an amateur, to make small articles, such as knife-boxes, book-shelves, &c. ; but this shows a complete misconception of the whole subject. The conclusion we have come to, then, with regard to ' manual instruction ' is that it is not practicable to undertake it under the Act. "As to 'technical education,' the Act authorises Education Boards to establish classes for technical instruction entirely apart from the course of public instruction, and to charge fees. It also makes provision for allowing any society or committee (such as the Technical Classes Association of Dunedin), or any instructor approved by the Minister, to establish such classes. An allowance is to be made at the rate of Is. 3d. for the quarter for every unit of average attendance if the class is held for an hour a week for ten weeks during the quarter, the allowance increasing by Is. 3d. for