E.—lo

6

Science and Art Department, South Kensington. The results in connection with the examinations of the above department are of a very satisfactory nature. Wellington is the only school in the Australasian Colonies awarded a prize in the national competition ; 47,978 works were submitted from 269 schools throughout the United Kingdom and the colonies, and of these only 4,044 were selected for national competition. A national third-grade prize for design was awarded to Florence Broome. Four students obtained sufficient marks in the competition to entitle them, under the department's regulations, to free studentships for one year. Wellington having no art collection, either industrial or artistic, our students labour under exceptional disadvantages as compared with other towns, and especially the English schools, where loans of the most artistic and valuable objects are constantly obtained. I therefore hope to obtain through the Education Department a loan of prize works in connection with the next national competition, and would suggest their exhibition at the Industrial Exhibition, and thence to the three other centres ; such works would be invaluable to the students, and give some idea of the nature and value of the competition. Students are again reminded of the requirements of the elementary drawing certificate. The subjects are as follows: (a) Freehand drawing (subject 2b), a first-class pass; (b) model drawing (subject 3a), a first-class pass ; (c) shading from casts (subject sb), a first-class pass ; (d) a pass in the elementary stage of science, subject I. (geometry).* Second-gbade Act. —Number of papers taken, 202 : passed, 137 ; failed, 65. First Class. Second Glass. Freehand ... .. 83 candidates 22 22 39 failed. Model 75 „ 18 37 20 „ Perspective ... ... 11 „ 5 5 1 „ Light and shade ... 33 20 8 5 „ Outside districts : Papers taken, 17 : passed, 7 ; failed, 10. Thied-gbade Act.—Number of papers submitted, 46: passed, 41; failed, 5. The passes are as follows : Outline from the cast: 10 papers taken ; 9 passed ; 1 excellent. Shading from models : 11 papers taken ; 10 passed. Light and shade from the cast: 13 papers taken ; all passed ; 1 excellent. Drawing from the life : 2 papers taken ; 2 passed. Drawing from the antique : 3 papers taken ; 2 passed. Still-life : 3 papers taken ; 1 passed. Monochrome : 1 paper taken ; 1 passed. Design : 2 papers taken ; 2 passed. Perspective : 1 paper taken ; 1 passed. Science. —Numbers of papers submitted, 41 : passed, 24 ; fair, 8 ; failed, 9. The results of the year's examinations in connection with the Science and Art Department would have entitled the Board, had the school been within Great Britain, to a grant of £228 in aid of the higher work, and £220 upon the results of the primary-schools drawing examination. It is satisfactory to report that advantage is now being taken of the examinations in science subjects, especially by the teachers in the Board's service. The science subjects in which candidates may be examined are again stated for information, and are as follows : — Practical, plane, and solid geometry ; machine construction and drawing ; building construction; naval architecture; mathematics; theoretical mathematics — (a) solids, (b) fluids ; applied mechanics; sound, light, and heat (elementary stages)—(a).sound (advanced stage and honours), (6) light (advanced stage and honours), (c) heat (advanced stage and honours); magnetism and electricity; inorganic chemistry (theoretical); inorganic chemistry (practical) ; organic chemistry (theoretical); organic chemistry (practical); geology ; mineralogy ; human physiology ; general biology ; zoology ; botany; principles of mining; metallurgy (theoretical); metallurgy (practical) ; navigation ; nautical astronomy ; steam ; physiography ; principles of agriculture ; hygiene. City and Guilds of London Institute for the Advancement of Technical Education. The examinations under this department have been conducted as usual. The number of candidates examined in theory and practice was 49; 32 passed and 17 failed. In the theory of plumbing 15 of 25 candidates were successful, and in practice 12 of 16 were successful. The examiners in their general report state that in practice in some centres only a small portion of the work was completed, but in others the whole of the candidates completed their task in a creditable manner, and well within the time allowed. Candidates may now present themselves for any of the under-mentioned sections. The examinations are in two grades—(l) Ordinary; (2) honours. The ordinary examination is intended principally for apprentices and journeymen ; the honours examination for foremen, masters, managers, and teachers. Candidates may enter themselves in either grade, except in certain subjects, in which they are required to obtain the ordinary grade first. Candidates may obtain a first- or second-class in either grade. If a second-class is obtained, they may sit again for the higher classification. In plumbers' work no certificate will be given to candidates who pass in the practice but fail in the theory. The examinations are held in May. Application for permission to sit is required to be made on or before 20th December. A registration-fee of 2s. 6d. per section is charged for this examination ; candidates for practical work paying the cost of material also. The subjects of examination are as follows : Salt manufacture, akali manufacture, soap manufacture, bread-making, brewing, spirit manufacture, coal-tar products, sugar manufacture, painters' colours, oils, and varnishes; oils and fats, including candle manufacture ; gas manuiacture, iron and steel manufacture, paper manufacture, photography, pottery and porcelain, glass-making, dressing of skins, leather tanning, boot and shoe manufacture, silk dyeing, wool dyeing, cotton dyeing, cotton and linen bleaching, calico and linen printing, wool and worsted spinning, cloth weaving, cotton spinning, flax spinning, linen weaving, silk throwing and spinning, silk weaving, jute spin-

* The elementary stage of this paper is the second paper upon the examination paper, not the first.