23

E.—l2

1. Bepoet. The general working of the school has been conducted on the same principles as in former years. The roll number (119) for the third term is slightly lower than that of the same term last year, but the average attendance for the term (1113) shows an increase. Thirty-five pupils have held scholarships and exhibitions, varying in value from £40 to £15 per annum. Of these eighteen have been given by the North Canterbury Board of Education, sixteen by the Board of Governors of Canterbury College, and one by the South Canterbury Board of Education. At the end of the first term there was a readjustment of the staff, owing to the resignation of the second assistant (Miss Mills) after thirteen years' service. The third, fourth, and fifth assistants were promoted, and Miss Elsie Low, M.A., late assistant at the Napier Girls' High School, was appointed a parttime teacher. At the December University examination three pupils competed for the University Junior Scholarships, two sat for the Medical Preliminary examination, and thirteen for Matriculation. Three have also entered for the Junior Civil Service examination in January. The results of these examinations are not yet published. Five pupils entered for the South Kensington drawing examination, and all gained first-class certificates. Pupils of the school have individually gained numerous distinctions in connection with the awards made at the Canterbury Jubilee Industrial Exhibition. The chief are: gold medal for essay under sixteen years ; gold medal for original paper on Maori legend (open class); gold medal for plain sewing (under nineteen years); silver medal, plain sewing (under nineteen years); silver medal, cooking (open class); first and second awards for original decorative design (under sixteen). In all cases these competitions were open to all New Zealand.

2. Gbnbbal Statement of Accounts for the Year ended 31st December, 1900. | Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance .. .. .. .. 55 17 7 Office salary .. .. .. .. 60 0 0 School fees .. .. .. .. 1,439 11 0 Salaries and allowances of teaohers .. 1,496 19 0 Rent of reserves .. .. .. 288 7 2 Insurance .. .. .. .. 10 7 6 Interest .. .. .. .. 203 7 6 Inspecting reserves .. .. .. 613 0 Proceeds from cooking-class .. .. 13 14 0 Examiners' fees .. .. .. 29 12 0 Balanoe .. .. .. .. 916 3 Scholarships and exhibitions .. .. 225 0 0 Repairs .. .. .. .. 19 15 9 Expenses of cooking-class .. .. 19 i 0 Fuel .. .. .. .. .. 10 15 0 Advertising .. .. .. .. 33 4 8 Prizes .. .. .. .. 24 16 8 Printing, stationery, and books .. .. 24 16 2 General expenses .. .. .. 49 9 9 £2,010 13 6 £2,010 13 6 H. B. Webb, Chairman. Correct.—Geo. H. Mason, Accountant. A. Cbacboet Wilson, Eegistrar.

3. WOBK OF THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST CLASSES. Highest. —Work to University Junior Scholarship standard. Mathematics—Arithmetic (without text-book); Hall and Knight's Algebra ; Hall and Stevens's Euclid ; Loney's Trigonometry. Latin—Arnold's Latin Prose Composition (Bradley); Abbott's Latin Prose through English Idiom ; Stedman's Latin Examination Papers ; Wilkins's Boman Antiquities ; Horton's Eoman History ; Cicero, In Catilinam I. and 11., De Senectute; Virgil, ißneid, Books I. and VI. ; Horace, Odes, Book I. English —Nesfield's Manual of English Grammar and Composition ; Longmans' Handbook of English Literature, Part V.; Chaucer's Prologue; Milton's Sonnets ; Macaulay's Essay on Milton; Arnold, Selected Poems and Balder Dead. French—Chardenal's Third Course; Miscellaneous French Prose; Dumas' Un Drame de la Mer; Sardou, La Perle Noire; Marmier, Le Protege de Marie Antoinette ; Eichembourg, Les Deux Amis ; Moliere, Les Precieuses Eidicules ; Balzac, Eugenic Grandet. Botany—Dendy and Lucas. Physics —Wright's Heat. Lowest. —Elementary Arithmetic. English—Longmans' Grammar; Dickens, Coleridge, and Longfellow Eeader (Nelson); The Brownies, Mrs. Ewen; Stronach's Literature. French—First Course, Chardenal. Geography—Longmans', Book I. History—Eansome's Elementary English History. Botany—Elementary (without text-book). 4. Abbangements fob Dbawing ; Manual, Commebcial, and Technical Insteuction ; Gymnastics, Deill, Swimming, Etc. Drawing is taught throughout the school as one of the ordinary subjects of instruction. The classes are conducted by a specially appointed certificated art teacher, and the course of instruction includes freehand, elementary model, drawing from the cast, elementary light and shade, elementary original design, and brushwork. Almost all pupils take this subject for at least a part of their school course, and the majority have two lessons of forty minutes each per week throughout it. Shorthand classes are held twice a week for half an hour before the ordinary school hours —9 to 9.30 a.m. They are open to all pupils without fee, but are not largely attended. Dresscutting classes are held on Saturday mornings. The pupils are taught by a specially appointed visiting teacher. The course of instruction includes theoretical drafting and cutting with the aid of charts, practical cutting from patterns, fitting, making, finishing, and the use of the sewingmachine. The classes have lessons of two hours each per week. Eighteen pupils attended last term. Plain sewing is taught throughout the school on two afternoons a week by two members of the regular staff. All pupils but those of the Fifth and Sixth Forms take this subject unless specially exempted. Cooking is taught by a certificated teacher of cookery specially appointed for