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district. Up to the present most teachers have not shaken off the trammels of the past, and too many still prepare their pupils in what they think will be the minimum requirements of the Inspector's wishes. They have not yet grasped that they should set the aim in each subject and in each standard, that they should carefully map out the work to secure these, that they should prepare their pupils along these lines, and should at the year's end submit aim, method, tests, and results for the Inspector's consideration and judgment; while willing to submit all to whatever trials or proofs he may demand. We take it that the Inspector's relation to his teachers is somewhat similar to that of a headmaster to his subordinates. He has to exercise right supervision, and see to it that the young teachers are encouraged and helped, that the lazy and incompetent are blamed or summarily dealt with, and that the honest and faithful workers receive their due meed of praise. He must, too, maintain a certain standard of efficiency and of pass-promotion in all the schools, so that the careless and dishonest teacher does not earn undeserved praise for a large percentage of passes while his more faithful brother is considered harsh and unsuccessful. But, above all, we consider that more and more he has to regard himself as an expert among experts, as an experimenter among experimenters, and, putting aside all cut-and-dried theories, must calmly watch while his teachers find out right methods and right procedure, must collate and compare the results, and pass on the information thus gained for the benefit of all the workers. More and more we shall strive to get our teachers into the new attitude both towards their profession and towards ourselves. We are expecting that the new syllabus will aid us in this matter, and that it will grant a larger measure of freedom for the exercise of experiment and of individual choice. We have often thought it would be a good thing if, within certain limits, teachers were allowed to ascertain the best order in which to teach the rules of arithmetic and the syllabus of work in geography. Why, for example, compel every teacher when teaching Standard 11. in geography to jump from the consideration of definitions to a survey of the continents and oceans of the world ? Some might prefer a progressive widening of the child's horizon—the proceeding from the surroundings of the school out into the surrounding district, and then out to a few main features of our country. It would be an easy enough matter to allow them this privilege. A better correlation of the school subjects is also required. Drawing, for example, should no longer be an independent and isolated subject, but should be linked to the object-lessons, science, reading, history, &c. IV. Prospective. —In several talks with our teachers we have laid it down that henceforth they must have ready for our approval plans and general schemes of work, notes of lessons and diaries in connection with these, and the copies of the principal examination tests (with the results) set to determine progress. We believe that no teacher can do good work who has not a clear idea of his aim, both in the subject as a whole and in each and every lesson given; and, further, that really good work is possible only when there has been due preparation. A clearly defined aim, with evidences of thoughtful preparation : these we consider we have the right to expect from every teacher. Moreover, we shall expect that head teachers place before us evidence of their supervision in these and other respects. In our examinations we shall expect that the lists in object-lessons, in science, and in recitation, and the work done in grammar and history, correspond with the time given these by the time-table. It has been too noticeable in a number of schools that one or two of these subjects are more or less neglected, and that the knowledge of the pupils in them bears no relation to the time apportioned them. For the purpose of testing the work of the school we shall first determine if the time is fairly allotted among the different subjects; then if a fair amount of work is professed in each; and, lastly, what kind of knowledge the pupils have of this. It would be well, we consider, to abolish the terms " pass " and " class " altogether, and substitute others which would not lead any teacher to suppose that any subject he has to teach can be neglected partially or wholly. The isolation of many of our teachers, their lack of training in science, their ignorance of kindergarten and manual training, and the distrust of self which all these engender, forced on us the conclusion about the middle of the year that a summer school would be of immense benefit to them. That institution was launched, and, although its session took place after the close of the year on which we are now reporting, we may be allowed a few words with reference to it. The direct benefits from its classes surpassed our expectations, while the indirect were incalculable. It removed the fear of attacking new subjects ; it proved that science could be taught experimentally at a trifling cost, and for the most part with home-made apparatus ; it intensified, if it did not create, a feeling of oneness amongst our teachers ; it aided in establishing a better relationship between teachers and Board officials ; and it sent not a few of the teachers back to their work with new enthusiasm and higher ideals. For ourselves, we believe it has lightened our work for this next year, and that several teachers who have given us some anxiety in the past will henceforth give us only pleasure in the examining of their schools. It has certainly proved that our teachers are only too willing to avail themselves of an opportunity of better equipping themselves for their work. We are indebted to the headmasters and leading teachers of the district for the fine example they set their juniors at the " school." We took advantage of this gathering of all our teachers to have talks with them respecting past and future teaching, and also to carry on the work it had so well begun. A reading association has been formed, which we hope will bring the members into contact with the classics of education. Collegiate and other classes will shortly be launched in our three centres, having for their object the raising of the status of our teachers. And here we may be allowed the parenthesis that the number of our teachers who are proceeding for higher examinations will compare favourably with any education district of the colony, and that every one of them deserves special praise. Inspectors' reports usually make the defects bulk large, and pass over with slight remark the excellencies. We hope that nothing we have said will convey any other meaning than that the Board has in its employ a large number of earnest, enthusiastic, and hardworking teachers, who, often with little encouragement, do their duty cheerfully and unfailingly. It is their aim to have