15

E.—s

extension of the Wellington Technical School and an Industrial Museum combined. This suggestion, after considerable delay, was adopted by the joint committees of the Industrial Association and the Education Board, with the result that a new extension containing six class-rooms, library, exhibition hall, and room for the Board's clerk of works will shortly be available. This muchneeded accommodation will be utilised by classes now working under great disadvantages and by two new sections. General. Prize Designs. —The Post Office authorities offered a prize of £2 for a Christmas card. The prize was awarded to Florence Broome. In June the Petone Woollen Company offered a prize of £1 Is. for a design for a show-card. The prize was awarded to M. Igglesden. Finance. —The total cost for the year is £2,488 7s. 3d. The total receipts amount to £1,541 7s. Against the difference, £947 Os. 3d., the following items are chargeable : Instruction to 106 teachers at 15s. per quarter, £318; instruction to 62 scholarship-holders at 10s. per quarter, £124 ; instruction to 20 teachers in evening classes at 7s. 6d. per quarter, £30; cost of primary examinations, £115 ; inspection of schools and correspondence class work, £60 ; cost of cookeryclasses for the year, £280; vote of City Council (due), £60; capitation due for fourth quarter, £88 Is. 2d. : total, £1,075 Is. 2d. The sum of £789 10s. sd. was expended upon buildings, leaving a credit balance on the building account of £2,217 9s. 7d. My thanks are due to all those whom I have named, and who have so generously contributed to the successful year's working, either by loans or contributions of prizes, books, periodicals, and appliances ; to Messrs. J. Pulton, C.8., A. Graham, W. Crichton, and H. S. Wardell, who acted as honorary examiners ; to the supervisors and to my staff, of whom, for their energy and very sincere interest in the welfare of the school, particularly during my absence in England, I cannot speak too highly. I have, &c, The Chairman, Education Board. Arthub D. Eiley.

MANUAL-INSTRUCTION CLASS, MAURICEVILLE WEST SCHOOL. Dear Sir,— The School, Mauriceville West, 19th December, 1898. I have the honour to submit the following report on the manual-instruction class held in connection with this school for year ending 1898:— At the beginning of the year there were sixteen pupils on the roll; at the end, ten, three of whom are in Standard 111. The falling-off is not due to lack of interest in the work by the boys, but to their parents refusing their permission to attend the class. The boys are required to work on their return from school, and, as their parents are not able to pay for labour, their boys must naturally assist to bring " grist to the mill." In reference to holding the class during school-hours, I am afraid I shall be unable to do so : (a) My pupil-teacher is too young to be left in charge of the school whilst I am instructing the boys; (b) she could not manage, say, sixty pupils during my absence; (c) the School Committee might object to the pupils being left in the care of such an inexperienced teacher; [d) inadequate teaching staff. I am convinced that manual instruction, is conducive to the education of our boys, and, if it could be introduced into our schools during school-hours, in a very short time the State would appreciate its benefits. I know there are difficulties in the way, but they are more apparent than real. I think I am the only primary teacher in this district that has given manual instruction a fair trial, and, during the two years and a quarter I have been in charge of this special work, must say that it has greatly benefited the boys who have attended regularly. I have endeavoured to manage the school on the lines I saw in England and on the Continent. My kindergarten work in the lower division of the school, including, as it does, paper cutting and folding and tinting, is preparatory to manual instruction in the upper classes. To reach the mental faculties the hand and eye must be trained to work-harmoniously together; that has been my aim, but I find that " a prophet is not without honour, except in his own country." Capitation to the amount of £5 10s. 9d. was received, and £4 7s. 4d. is due. The School Committee hand the capitation to me as payment for my services as instructor, with the understanding that I find necessary tools and timber for the use of the class. The amount received has been expended. The following is a list of the tools, and the sources from which I obtained them :— Purchased through first capitation and public subscription : One half-rip saw, eight chisels, one tenon-saw, one draw-knife, two mallets, two screwdrivers, one spokeshave, two set squares, one pair wing-compasses, one 2 ft. rule, one claw-hammer, one bevel-square, one dozen lead-pencils, four bits, one oilstone, one punch, one wood-rimer, two German bits, one jack-plane, one smoothingplane, three gauges, one screwdriver bit. From Education Board: Three squares, six gauges, eight chisels, fourteen bench-stops, four new mallets. In addition to the above, I lend the pupils my private tools, including brace, bits, saws, planes, grindstone, iron-block plane, iron benchscrews, &c. Yours, &c, Mr. A. D. Biley, Director, Technical School, Wellington. Chas. E. Joplin.

MANUAL-TRAINING CLASS, PABAPARAUMU SCHOOL. Sib, — Paraparaumu, 19th December, 1898. I have the honour to report on the Paraparaumu School Carpentry Class for the year 1898.