E.—s.

The grants to Education Boards for the instruction of teachers in manual and technical subjects, amounting in all to £1,875, were available last year as in 1901, and the amounts were paid over to all the Boards that had complied with the conditions; similar grants will be available during the present year. The revised regulations that were gazetted in December, 1902, considerably simplified the mode in which grants are obtained. Supplementary regulations, approved in June of the present year, offered grants not exceeding £5 per annum on account of each pupil admitted free to technical classes, provided such pupil had passed Standard VI. or a higher examination. These free places are called "junior technical scholarships " ; they last for two years, and may be extended (as " senior technical scholarships") for two years more if the holders show signs of satisfactory progress. In order that the substratum on which technical education is based may be sound, it is made a condition of the tenure of the junior technical scholarships that the holders shall attend continuation classes in one or more subjects of general instruction, such as English or some other language, and arithmetic or some other branch of mathematics. It is, indeed, difficult to see what more could be done by statute or regulation to encourage manual and technical education; it is now a matter for those in the various parts of the colony to start such classes as are suited to the wants of the several districts. Some have urged that Government ought to go further and establish classes everywhere; but it is tolerably certain that to set up classes where people are not prepared to make some effort in their own behalf would result in a considerable waste of public money without any corresponding benefit. The grants for buildings and apparatus paid last year amounted to £4,997 Bs. 3d.; for material, £246 Is. Bd.; capitation, £5,604 17s. 4d.

2