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students' technical museum of objects of industrial art. The progress of the students is being severely retarded for lack of this ; for, after a student has gone through a certain amount of training and learnt the principles applicable to all design, the best means of developing his further education is by surrounding him with examples showing how these principles have been applied by various peoples and at various times. Life classes have been held on Mondays and Fridays for the study of the draped model, and on Wednesdays for the nude. These, similarly to the morning, have been attended by a larger number than at any former period, and the results have also been better and of a more advanced character. Students deserving mention are S. L. Thompson for having gained first place and the free studentship in drawing and painting from the life, and C. Brassington for his admirable set of bas-reliefs and marble bust from life, W. Thompson for some good decorative designs founded on native flora, and G. Hart for architectural drawing. The two latter reflect great credit upon their teacher, Mr. S. Hurst Seager. " The class for modelling in clay has been held on Mondays, and has been attended by an average of about twenty students, under the charge of Mr. Kidson. Good progress was visible, and a larger and better display was made at the annual exhibition than at any previous time. " Saturday Students. —The teachers and pupil-teachers under the North Canterbury Board of Education have attended on Saturday mornings from 9.30 to 12.30, and have been taught freehand, model, geometry, perspective, drawing on the black-board from memory and elementary light and shade. Two of them have this year completed their full second-grade certificate—viz., T. Doudsand I. Newton. Compared with the two previous years the numbers have been as follows : — First Term. Second Term. Third Term. 1894 ... ... ... ... ... 95 86 98 1895 ... ... ... ... ... 75 79 84 1896 ... ... ... ... ... 77 100 106 " Wood-carving and Sloyd. —The classes for wood-carving and sloyd have been held under Mr. Hurst Seager, from 10 to 11.30 and 11.30 to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. They are increasing in attendance and interest, especially in the former one, where there are now this term fifteen students. "Boys' High School. —The boys from the High School have attended in two divisions, the junior on Mondays from 3.20 to 4, and the senior on Thursdays at the same time. Both have been taught model-drawing. " Free Studentships. —The six free studentships offered by the Board for annual competition on the past year's work were won by the following students : Landscape from nature, A. McLean ; painting from still life, M. H. Aitken; painting from life (colour), S. L. Thompson; drawing from life (monochrome), S. L. Thompson; drawing from the antique, S. L. Thompson; architectural work, G. Hart. The annual free studentships offered to the head boy in drawing in each of ten district State schools were competed for and awarded in February. No prizes were given this year by the Board, owing to necessity for economy. Two were given privately. Owing to this there was no prize distribution as in former years. " Industrial Association Scholarships. —The Canterbury Industrial Association has decided to devote the interest accruing from the Government grant of £500 for the Industrial Exhibition to the founding of scholarships, tenable at the School of Art, for apprentices in certain industries associated with and founded on art. We have been for years past impressing the necessity for a closer connection between the art trades and the school founded on their mutual dependence for wellbeing and advancement, and this is the first direct recognition of this principle, a principle long ago recognised and acted on in older countries. The Industrial Association, as well as the Board of Governors and the community generally, are to be congratulated on the step now being taken. Arrangements are being made as to the conditions under which these shall be awarded and held, and the first competition will probably take place at the end of this year. " Affiliation with South Kensington, London. —The school has now become affiliated with South Kensington for the purposes of examination and competition for prizes. Students will thus now have the opportunity of gaining South Kensington certificates, which are recognised the world over, whereas our own local ones are only recognised locally. We have hesitated hitherto taking this step, as there is a danger in the anxiety to obtain awards of students being compelled to work in certain grooves, which is detrimental to individual development and freedom of individual experiment. If this freedom for experiment and work could be arranged for and allowed, then the advantage of affiliation would be entirely without drawback. " Annual Examinations. —The annual examinations were held in December, with results aa already published. One student, Miss H. Gibson, has successfully completed her art class teacher's certificate, this being the first one awarded since the new regulations in 1894. One student, W. Thompson, has completed the work for the first year decorative design, and several have only one or two subjects to pass before completing both the first and second years' architecture and decorative design. "Annual Exhibition. —-The annual exhibition of students' works, held in February, was one of the most successful we have ever had, both as to quality of work and the number of exhibits, the life and still-life work and modelling in clay showing out especially well. At the request of a large number of people it was kept open for two days longer than usual, being open for a week altogether. Instead of holding the usual prize distribution the exhibition was this year opened publicly by the Chairman of the Board, Mr. H. B. Webb, addresses being given by Mr. J. B. Triggs, the President of the Industrial Association, Messrs. T. S. Weston, a member of the Board, and F. Waymouth, Mayor of St. Albans. The headmaster gave a report on the past year's work. " Judges and Examiners. —The following gentlemen kindly acted as judges and examiners in the various competitions and examinations : Mr. Woodhouse, Sydney, in decorative design, Mr, Mouutfort in architecture and perspective, and Mr. J. Gibb in drawing and painting.