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Southland. The Saturday carpentry classes for teachers and pupils established in the year 1895 have been successfully carried on for three consecutive sessions, commencing on the 7th May and ending on the 26th November. The attendance was a most decided improvement on that of the previous year, and much intelligent interest in the work was manifested by the students, old and young alike. The roll-number ranged from five to seven for teachers, and from twenty to twenty-two for boys; while the mean average attendance for the three sessions was 5-2 and 19-2 for the senior and junior classes respectively. In the month of May last the following publicschool teachers—viz., Messrs. C. W. G. Selby; A. H. Hiddleston, H. P. Young, and T. Gazzard— succeeded in passing the first year's practical woodwork examination under the City and Guilds of London Institute. These classes have prosecuted their studies under the superintendence of the Board's architect, assisted this year by Mr. W. L. McLean.

EXTRACTS FEOM REPORTS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS. Wanganui Girls' College. A cooking class has been held during the last term of the year. Sewing classes are held thrice weekly. Most pupils receive instruction in drawing. Owing to the construction of a new classroom specially lighted to serve as an art-room, a decided advance has been made during the year in this department. Wanganui Collegiate School. There is a large carpenter's shop and laboratory, in which regular instruction is given to the boys by the staff. Wellington College. There is a well-fitted carpenter's shop with six benches, accommodating four boys each. Building lighted from both sides, and supplied with a number of gas-jets. Lessons are given twice a week Joy Mr. W. H. Barrett, instructor to the Technical School (one hour on Mondays, two hours on Fridays). The boys all work to scale, making their own drawings of the work before it is undertaken. Some of them are working at wood-carving. Napieb High Schools. With a view to the furtherance of technical education, the Board has sanctioned the erection of a new workshop for the Boys' School, and has engaged the services of a specially qualified instructor. At the Girls' School during the winter term classes in physical drill and dancing were held, with great advantage to the girls; and a series of lessons in cookery were given to the upper school. Cheistchuech Boys' High School. There is a suitable workshop, fitted with excellent lathes, joiner's benches, and tools, in which instruction is given in carpentry, the use of tools, &c, out of school-hours. The fee is 2s. 6d. per term, and covers instruction for two hours per week. During part of the time boys do work that the instructor may require; during the rest of the time they are allowed to make articles for themselves, which may, with the approval of the instructor, be taken home. The cost of timber where appreciable must be paid, and any work may be reserved for exhibition. Boys must purchase certain necessary tools, or hire them at Is. per term. Mr. S. H. Seager supervises the workshop, and carries out a regular course of instruction. In addition to this there is a modern form, where boys, instead of Latin, learn sloyd and shorthand. Sloyd comprises the making of models in cardboard, wood, iron, &c, of drawings previously made to scale. Apart from this, in the general school boys were taught drawing, seventy-five learning geometrical drawing; 148 boys learnt chemistry, and eighty-nine boys physics and elementary science. It will thus be seen that, with complete arrangements for drawing and science, boys obtain instruction in the main principles of technical education, and they have the essential elements of manual work in carpentry and sloyd. Elementary sloyd is taught to the youngest boys in place of French. For science teaching the school possesses two well-equipped laboratories, with sinks, sets of reagents, furnace, &c. There is also a lecture-room with properly equipped leeturing-table, containing sinks, gas, water-taps, &c. The room has raised benches, and can accommodate about sixty to write, and over a hundred for oral instruction. For model drawing boys go to the School of Art. Cheistchuech Girls' High School. The arrangements for manual and technical instruction are as follows : Three cooking classes are held, each affording instruction for two hours a week. The lessons are mainly practical, but four demonstration lessons are given each term by the teacher. Two classes in dress-cutting are held, each affording instruction for two hours a week. Plain sewing is taught in the school for an hour and a half a week. Drawing classes : Instruction is given on two afternoons a week, including freehand, model, light and shade, and elementary design, to all pupils desirous of attending these classes. Ashburton High School. The Board has under its consideration the necessity of providing greater facilities for the teaching of science, and for providing manual and technical training, but, with the funds at its disposal, has not yet been able to see its way to make any great change in the school curriculum in this direction. The necessity, however, is thoroughly appreciated, and whenever the means are forthcoming this provision will be made.