E.—s

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suitable centrally placed building. The new technical school, considering that it was not built with any reference to its present use, is well suited to our work. At the same time the class-room accommodation is barely sufficient, and it would be advisable, as soon as the state of the funds justify it, to erect additional class-rooms on the back portion of the section. The large front room of the main building was intended to be set apart as a reading-room, and is much needed for the purpose. At present it has to do duty for, class purposes, and meanwhile there is no room of sufficient size in which students can sit while waiting for classes, or for trains, &c. The total number of students enrolled this session was 731, an increase of thirty on last year's figures. Of these, 607, or 83 per cent., only attended one class. An analysis of the figures is appended to this report. The work of the session commenced, as usual, with the spring class for botany in October last, the autumn class resuming in February. The winter's work commenced on the 4th April with twenty classes, and was carried on to the 30th September. No class has suffered so much from change of teachers as that for physics, and the past session has been no exception to the rule. I think a strong effort should be made to popularise this class. The work is essential for all metal-workers and mechanics who desire to acquire any true knowledge of their craft. In connection with this class, I have much pleasure in reporting that Professor Shand, in addition to acting as assessor in the annual examinations, offers free tuition for a session in the physics laboratory of the University to the student who gains the highest marks. There is room for considerable extension of the chemical work of the school by carrying on senior classes in practical chemistry, but it is useless to attempt such work except with students who are well grounded in the theory and principles of the science. Mr. Morrison, Government Inspector of Machinery, who examined the class for mechanical engineering, says, " I am pleased to report that there is a great improvement, especially in the steam class, no doubt through its being a more interesting class for boys apprenticed to engineering ; but lam confident the interest will come in applied mechanics afterwards. I would recommend that separate certificates be granted for each class, instead of one for both as before." This recommendation cannot be carried into effect this session, but can be provided for in future. The class in wood-carving has increased in numbers, and good work has been done. Mr. E. Chisholm, in reporting on it, awards high praise to several of the pupils for clear and bold work. He adds : " Chip-carving is undoubtedly very good as a pleasant pastime, but requires neither taste nor skill in execution, and can never be regarded as of the same merit as model, scroll, or floral carving. ... I cannot help expressing the opinion that it would be in the best interests of this class if much less attention were given to chip-carving, and some good models and patterns of bold relief carving provided, so that pupils might aim at something more artistic than cutting geometrical lines with a carving-knife." An attempt was made to open a class in modelling, but sufficient entries were not received. It is hoped to make this a special feature next session. A new class this session was that for photography, in which very good work was done. In future this class should be developed more and more on technical lines, so that the teaching of the applications of photography to printing, process-blocks, &c, may become part of the recognised course of tuition. The cookery classes this year have been larger than in previous years, and the attendance has been most regular. In addition to the Wednesday classes, others have been held on Saturday, chiefly attended in the morning by school-girls, and in the afternoon and evening by teachers, tailoresses, and others occupied during the week. In the final examination no less than fourteen candidates gained the C and five the B certificates. The candidates are engaged from about 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in preparing and cooking, without any outside assistance, a number of dishes selected from the syllabus by a most critical committee of ladies, who are in attendance the whole day, and who, in addition, subject them individually to an oral examination. I emphasized the fact in last year's report that these certificates were of very tangible value, and I can only repeat again that if heads of households would satisfy themselves on this question they would soon insist upon the possession of one or both as a sine qua non in engaging a servant. Mrs. Miller informs me that about twenty of her pupils intend to sit for the certificate of the City and Guilds of London Institute next June. Mrs. Eeynolds and Mrs. Denniston, on behalf of the ladies who conducted the examinations, report that the cookery-room requires a great deal of fitting up, and a much more complete set of utensils to complete it than it at present possesses, and they have kindly offered, with the assistance of the pupils themselves, to raise sufficient funds for this work. I trust that this generous offer will be accepted by the Committee, and every assistance given to carry it out. I have not specified particularly the other classes carried on this session, but have to report that in all of them the work and attention were well sustained throughout, and the general attendances were very good. The book-keeping classes have the record for numbers, followed closely by the shorthand classes. I have also again to thank those ladies and gentlemen who kindly undertook the work of co-examination. A glance at their names in our honours list is sufficient assurance that the association desires to secure the best supervision possible of the work done by its classes. In accordance with Article 3 of our prospectus, thirteen students applied for and received either partial or total remission of their fees. I regret to say that while some of these took full advantage of the concessions, others were extremely erratic in their attendance and interest, showing that what cost them little or nothing was not valued. Now that the association is settled in its own home, I desire to call the attention of the public generally, and of those interested in technical education especially, to the fact that one of our rooms has been set aside and fitted up as a technical library, and that, on behalf of the Committee,