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followed by other bodies. It is also pleasing to report that the City Council has shown its interest in and appreciation of the work of the classes by making a donation of £50 to the funds of the association. During the year the Government paid to the association the sum of £2,000 to enable it to erect additional buildings in which to accommodate the proposed classes for electrical engineering, as well as to cope with the increased demand for room required by the chemical and physical laboratories, and cookery-room. On going into the question thoroughly your Committee found that the amount would not suffice for the work to be undertaken, and as the lease of the property expires in June, 1902, and with it the power to secure the whole on advantageous terms under a purchasing clause, it was decided to again approach the Government and ask permission to deflect the grant from its original purpose to that of purchasing the property. This application was granted, and your Committee is now in negotiation to raise the balance of £500 required to complete the purchase, and this, it is hoped, will shortly be effected. Considering that nearly five thousand pupils have passed through these classes since their inception, your Committee are of opinion that the importance of the work done merits generous and continued support at the hands of the citizens of Dunedin. The results of the City and Guilds of London Institute examination are again of a very gratifying nature. In the ordinary grade of mechanical engineering 6 students passed in Part 1., while in Part 11. 1 student obtained a first-class pass, and 3 students gained a second-class, while 1 student obtained a first-class pass in the ordinary grade of carpentry and joinery. In the honours grade of principles of plumbing 4 students obtained a second-class pass. In considering the work of and the attendance at the various classes the latter may conveniently be taken in groups. Of the continuation classes that in arithmetic was the largest, the attendance at one time during the first quarter being fifty. I purpose next year separating the senior and junior divisions, and having each taught at different times. This will allow for more attention to the backward members of the class. The junior English class was also well attended, and the average attendance extremely good. The senior English class comes next in size, but, considering the value of the work and the thoroughness of the teaching, it does not by any means get the support it merits. To the best stitdent of this class Professor Gilray now grants free tuition at his University class. The mathematics class, taught in two separate divisions, contained students varying greatly both in ability and application, and although the behaviour of students in the classroom was in every respect satisfactory, yet many of them, especially those of the junior division, appeared to have great aversion to doing any work in the way of home preparation. There is a slight improvement in the attendance of the Latin class, and, although the class is not large, the number of divisions renders it rather difficult to overtake the work in two hours per week. In the French class, a class much smaller than the Latin class, the same difficulty was met with until the teacher, voluntarily extending the time, took each division separately. Reference to the commercial classes is always made with pleasure. They are the best-sup-ported of our classes, and the results attained are uniformly good and favourably commented on by the examiners. Of all classes carried on by the association, that in book-keeping still enjoys the distinction of having the largest number of students. Those interested should inquire regarding the quality of the practical work done in this class. The number attending the shorthand classes at Dunedin was not quite so great as last year, but the attention and behaviour of the students is this year a matter for congratulation, and the examiner emphasizes the improved quality of the work. At Port Chalmers 20 students took the subject in the first quarter, and 16 in the second quarter. They were examined along with the Dunedin students, and, in the junior class at least, more than held their own —a sufficient guarantee of the work done. Commercial law is attended by students who it is a pleasure to teach, and the teacher of this class now intimates that he is prepared to undertake a separate class for the teaching of industrial law, as provided for in the regulations. To penmanship this year was added commercial correspondence, but the support accorded the class was not very encouraging. The style of writing taught in this class is again most strongly recommended by the examiners as being, in their opinion, the most suitable for commercial purposes. Turning now to the classes known as "trade classes," I cannot but express regret at the meagre support accorded the majority of these. During the first quarter a satisfactorily attended class was carried on in tailor cutting and fitting, but during the second quarter, although tweed for practising was provided free of cost to the students, so little interest was taken in the class that it had to be abandoned. The attendance at the class for painters' and decorators' work was not much better, and it was only the enthusiasm of the teacher that kept the class from sharing the fate of the tailoring class. Compared with previous years, the number taking carpentry also shows a great falling-off, while the class for theory of plumbing, taught by the same teacher, practically became defunct. The practical plumbing class was regularly attended by 11 students, but the teacher could have comfortably taught as many more, and the additional cost of material used would have been trifling. In all the subjects of this group practical classes are carried on chiefly for the benefit of apprentices, who, after explanation and demonstration by the teacher, are given practice in the class of work with which they are not likely to be intrusted by their employers until they have given some indication of their ability to perform such work. Our practical classes have in this way supplied a want, but they are not to be regarded as classes for teaching trades, and thus dispensing with apprenticeship. In addition to these practical classes, the association carries on separate classes for theory and principle in carpentry and plumbing. By means of these classes students working at their respective trades during the day are given an opportunity of acquiring a knowledge of the principles underlying their work, thus rendering them more intelligent and more efficient workmen—indeed, making them truly masters of their calling or profession, The results of the City and Guilds