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the human figure, or animals, in colour, 2; elementary design, 6 ; drawings from actual measurements of structures, machines, &c, applied designs, technical or miscellaneous studies, 14. The following is a statement of the payments made in the year 1896, on account of manual and technical education: Education Boards—Wanganui, £227 10s. Bd.; Wellington, £270 6s. 3d.; Grey, £6 16s. 9d. ; Otago, £5 ss. Technical Classes Associations —Auckland, £257 17s. 7d. ; Dunedin, £312 6s. 3d. ; Balclutha, £111 3s. lid. School of Domestic Instruction, Christchurch, £143 4s. 6d. Mr. W. I. Kobinson, £7 4s. 10d. Messrs. Bickerton Brothers, £9 3s. 10d. Expenses of Examinations—South Kensington, £31 6s. 10d. ; City and Guilds of London Institute, £16 14s. Bd. Translation and condensation of Belgian report (E.-ln of last year), £25. Total, £1,424 Is. Id. From an examination of the returns and statements made by the various classes that have obtained recognition under the Act up to the date of this report, it is estimated that the average attendance at these classes is about 2,690. No accurate statement of the number can be made, because in some cases formal returns have not yet been sent in; nor can the number of individual students be stated, for the reason that many students attend two or more classes. In this estimate, no account has been taken of attendance at classes which, for one reason or another, have not yet been recognised. In the administration of the Act a practical difficulty has been experienced in the provision which limits the periods for which claims for capitation may be made to the four regular calendar quarters. Greater latitude in this respect is required. In reviewing the field of technical education, reference must be made to the important work that is being carried on outside the operations of the Manual and Technical Elementary Instruction Act. The annual Eeport on the Goldfields of New Zealand (C.-3), issued by the Department of Mines, will contain information with respect to the Schools of Mines, two of which are maintained in districts in which mining is actively carried on, and another is a department of the Otago University (vide E.-6). The number of students in mining in 1896 was about 229. The Government gives two scholarships of £30 or £50 a year in this subject. The annual report of the Department of Agriculture will show what is being done in the way of technical instruction at agricultural experimental stations, fruit farms, and dairy schools. The number of students at dairy schools in 1896 was 128. The Canterbury Agricultural College had 43 students in 1896, and the School of Engineering and Technical Science, a department of the Canterbury College, had 87. Information respecting these two last-named institutions will be found in the report of the Canterbury College (E.-7).

2. BEPOBTS OF TECHNICAL AND ABT SCHOOLS. WANGANUI. Sir,— Technical School, 6th March, 1897. I have the honour to submit the following report of my work in connection with this school for 1896 :— Attendance.—The number of students who attended the different classes during the three terms, respectively, was as follows : Morning class for drawing and painting, 6, 5, 5 ; evening class, 29, 28, 27 ; Saturday art class for teachers and others, 39, 26, 26 ; science lectures (botany), Saturday afternoon, held during the first term only, 25; Girls' College—Drawing, 58, 51, 57; Girls' College —Painting, 7, 7, 6 : Total, 164, 117, 121. The courses of instruction have been the same as in former years, with the addition of an evening class for drawing from the living model. Science lectures were not delivered during the last two terms, as there was not six names given in, this number being the minimum attendance required. Moeninq Class.—The attendance at the morning class is lower than last year, owing to several private classes having been opened under conditions with which we were unable to comply. In my report of 1894 I referred to the fact that our students do not paint from flat examples, this being contrary to the proper course of training in art. I have considered the matter from several aspects, and I think it becomes a question whether we might not make such arrangements for work of this class that students who attend might eventually be induced, after two or three terms, to retrace their steps and begin at the right end of their studies. This is, however, I think, a matter for the Board to decide. Compared with the four large towns of the colony, we have here a very