E.—l.

Schools.—At the close of the year there were 150 schools under the Board's control. New schools were opened at Tikaramonga, Te Mai, and Epuni. The small school at Bush Grove was closed in April and the Horowhenua School in September—the children from the latter going to the new Central School at Levin. Attendance.—The average attendance shows an increase of 221 over the figures for last year the returns being: March quarter, 12,753; June quarter, 12,718; September quarter, 12,679; December quarter, 13,054. Truancy.—To enable the Board to enforce the provisions of the School Attendance Act it was decided to appoint six local Truant Officers, at small salaries, in each of the following divisions" Wellington and Country Districts, West Coast, Wairarapa South, Wairarapa North, Eketahunaj and Pahiatua. The result has been thoroughly satisfactory. Complaints against irregular attendance have ceased, and the reports of the Truant Officers give evidence that they take a keen interest in their work, enforcing compliance with the provisions of the Act, while avoiding as far as possible, in accordance with the Board's wishes, the necessity of taking Court proceedings. Training op Teachers.—The special grant of £200 for training of teachers in manual and technical subjects has been expended in giving teachers and pupil-teachers class instruction in freehand, model and memory drawing, perspective, light and shade, brushform and cardboard modelling—under the direction of the Technical School, and in science (chemistry) under Mr Foster. JJ Manual and Technical Instruction.—ln April the Technical School was placed under the control of an Associated Board, constituted under the provisions of "The Manual and Technical Instruction Act, 1900," consisting of the Rev. W. A. Evans, John P. Luke, John Smith, and James J. Devine, representing the City Council; David Robertson, representing the Industrial Association, and F. Bradey, A. W. Hogg, and R. Lee, representing the Education Board. On Mr. Bradey asking to be relieved of the position, Mr. William Allan was elected one of the Board's representatives. For the three months of the year during which the Technical School remained under the Board's management the receipts were £450 15s. sd. and the expenditure £744 15s. 6d. The grants received by the Board as controlling authority, during the nine months of the year, and handed over to the Associated Board, amounted to £1,856 ss. lid. With regard to technical education, the total cost to the Board for this work since 1886 has been £14,285 18s. 4d., the receipts having been £21,349 6s. 3d., and the expenditure £35,635 4s. 7d. During the past year manual instruction was given in sixty-three schools, the subjects taken up embracing stick-laying, paper weaving and plaiting, drawing in chalk, free-arm drawing, bricklaying, paper-folding, designing in coloured paper, modelling in plasticine, modelling in carton, brush drawing, cane-weaving, free-arm and blackboard drawing, elementary design and colourwork, cottage gardening, swimming, elementary agriculture, sewing, mat-weaving, geometrical drawing, basket-weaving, paper-cutting and mounting, and cookery. The present year should see this work taken up in almost every school under the Board's control. Cookery.—The cookery classes were controlled by the Technical School until the end of June, .when the Board took over the management. The city classes were removed to the Newtown School, where a room was fitted up for the purpose, the cost of such fittings—£lll 13s.—being defrayed by the Government. The teacher, Miss Ivey, having obtained six months' leave of absence, her position was filled by Miss Manning. The cost of the classes will be covered by capitation. J The Wairarapa classes continue under the instruction of Miss Millington. The lessons for the first half-year are given at Masterton, Clareville, Featherston, Greytown, and Carterton, and for the second half-year at Eketahuna, Mangatainoka, Hukanui, Scarborough, and Pahiatua. ' Drill.—Classes were established at Masterton for military drill only, under Mr. Burns, but the attendance not coining up to expectations the Department withdrew the grant, and they were discontinued. Instruction in military drill, under Mr. Poison, and physical drill, under Mr. Dovey is continued in the Wellington Centre. Scholarships.—Scholarship examinations were conducted by Mr. T. Rowe, M.A., at Welling ton, Masterton, Pahiatua, and Otaki. District High Schools.—The District High School at Masterton had ninety-six pupils at the end of the year, an increase of forty-seven over last year. The subjects of instruction were Latin Euclid, algebra, physics, geography, history, and chemistry. The Pahiatua District High School was opened for December quarter only, instruction being given in algebra, Latin, book-keeping shorthand, botany, geometry, history, and geography. The quarter's return showed nineteen pupils in attendance; Pupil-teachers.—At the close of the year there were 97 pupil-teachers in the service of the Board, classified thus : 10 first-year, 10 second-year, 24 third-year, 24 fourth-year, and 29 fifth-year. The interpretation by the Department of the provisions of the Public-school Teachers' Salaries' Act relating to pupil-teachers that they cannot be retained after the fifth year of service necessitated the retirement on the 31st December of twenty-one ex-pupil-teachers. The Board much regretted having to discharge these young teachers, whose return to the service as assistants or in charge of small country schools can only be effected by a gradual process. The hardship inflicted might have been obviated by the retention of their services until they secured the promotion to which they were entitled. Finance.—Receipts from all sources amounted to £63,904 Bs. 9d., and the expenditure to £68,348 6s. 4d., to which has to be added the overdraft of £296 4s. Bd. brought forward, so

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