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SECTION VII.—GENEBAL. (1.) Physical, recreative and social. (5.) Buildings and appliances. (2.) Scholarships. (6.) Museums and libraries. (3.) Examinations and inspections. (7.) Administration. (4.) Training teachers. 1. PHYSICAL, RECREATIVE AND SOCIAL. In many of the institutions visited provision is made for physical training, musical instruction, and swimming, and full provision is made of a social and recreative character in the form of social and club rooms, reading-rooms, and library, &c. There can be no question that such provision adds greatly to the success of the educational work of the institution, and from the evidence obtained of the general success of such arrangements I have no hesitation in recommending the adoption of similar lines in connection with our larger technical schools, such as Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, where it would be possible to have from one thousand to fifteen hundred students. I cannot do better than briefly describe the arrangements made at the Northampton Technical Institute, one of the latest London schools, where provision is made for instruction in all branches of work upon the best possible lines. Gymnasium. —A fine room 120 ft. long by 50 ft. wide, with a spectators' gallery. The arrangements and completeness are said to be the finest in London (See Plate XXXVII.). Underneath one end of the room are commodious dressing-rooms, baths, and lavatories. The gymnasium is open four nights to men and two nights to women, from 6.30 until 10 p.m. A reduced fee is charged to students joining other classes. Day classes, from 3.30 to 5 p.m., are open to men and women. An efficient instructor is provided. Capitation paid upon actual classes held under the Boards in New Zealand should enable excellent work to be done in this direction, with very beneficial results to the community and young people. Sivimming - bath. ■ —■ This is large and commodious, and well fitted with the usual modern accessories (see Blate XXXVIII.). The basin is lined with white marble, and is 100 ft. long by 35 ft. wide, and surrounded with convenient dressing-boxes. Good diving-boards, a water-chute 19 ft. long, and other appliances are provided. Members of the Institute are admitted at 2d. each. Non-members : Men, 5d.; women, 4d.: the former, twenty block tickets, 7s. 6d.; the latter, twenty for 6s. Instruction given before 5 p.m.: Members, 6d. per lesson; non-members, Is. per lesson. Instruction given after 6 p.m.: Members, 3d. per lesson; non-members, 6d. per lesson. Three instructors are provided—two male and one female. Social and Club Rooms. —Separate and exceedingly comfortable social rooms are provided for males and females, and also a room for the meeting of clubs and societies formed by students or members, such as chess, cricket, cycling, swimming, Saturday recreation, &c Special facilities are afforded for the formation and working of clubs for approved objects. All accounts in connection with each club must be submitted for audit every year. Concerts and entertainments' are held in the winter session on Saturday evening in the large hall, which will comfortably seat thirteen hundred persons, and is provided with a fine organ. Excellent programmes are arranged by the various committees and clubs, and by the musical classes of the Institute, students from which, if they are sufficiently proficient, are made members of the Institute choir and the Institute orchestra. In the former a fee of 2s. per quarter is charged, the latter is free. Definite works are put in rehearsal for the Saturday concerts, and regular practices held. The musical classes are conducted by specially appointed instructors. The Saturday Becreation Club is formed with the object of arranging pleasant Saturday afternoons in the country at a small cost. Outings had been fixed for every Saturday afternoon for the season, and special trips on Whit Monday to Maidenhead and Taplow, and on Bank Holiday to Windsor. Library and Reading-rooms. —In the former only about twelve hundred volumes are at present available, this being a matter of growth in a new institution. The reading-room, however, is provided with all the leading papers, magazines, &c, both literary and technical, and is very comfortably furnished and decorated (see Plate XXXIX.). In fact, every provision is made for the comfort and convenience of students, and one cannot help being considerably impressed with the perfection of all detail in the management, and the encouragement given to students in all directions. 2. SCHOLARSHIPS. The scholarship schemes of Great Britain form one of the most striking features of modern education, and are of the highest importance to the success of education generally. There are at present various kinds and systems of scholarships in force in New Zealand, and I now suggest that every effort should be made to bring about a universal system of scholarships on behalf of the colony, controlled, if necessary, by a Joint Scholarship Board having representatives from the various sections of educational work throughout the colony. There can be no question that much good would result from a systematic distribution of scholarships in the various departments of educational work, and from a recognised system of selection or examination by an independent Board acting on behalf of the whole colony simultaneously. The question of whether private schools should have the right to compete for scholarships is one of considerable discussion. A recent bill for secondary education in England contains the following clause :—"Aid to private schools : No grant shall be made to a private school, but nothing in this Act shall prevent pupils of such schools from competing for scholarships and exhibitions provided by local authority under this Act. Scholarships may be tenable at efficient secondary schools conducted for private profit under such conditions as the local authority may prescribe."