E.—lb.

taught unless experimental work is resorted to, and the children at the same time take such a part in the work as will enable them to handle, do, think, and find out for themselves in every conceivable way. Each subject is to be treated not as a branch of science, but as a training in scientific method. In some of the larger schools where individual practical work has been done the results have been excellent,, but our schools are not yet well-enough equipped to make this subject as satisfactory as it ought to be. We are pleased to notice that some of our teachers in the country are taking up a course of lessons on the simpler facts of such animal and plant life as may be seen in their district, and combining these lessons with a course in handwork, such as cottage-gardening, One note in the new syllabus is worthy of repetition: "Even with careful attention to individual practical work, a course of science for young children will probably fail as an educational instrument if it is too far dissociated from their daily life and experience." It is worth noting here that the successful work done in agriculture by Mr. Davies in the Mauriceville West School has attracted the attention of the Government Biologist, Mr. T. W. Kirk. In the Annual Report of the Department of Agriculture for 1903 (p. 420) photos of the laboratory and school garden are reproduced, with a plan of the garden, and a syllabus of work for two years as set out by Mr. Davies is given. Mr. Kirk remarks, "The teacher, Mr. W. C. Davies, is a thoroughly able enthusiast. Nothing more need be said. The pictures and syllabus speak for themselves. It is to be hoped that the example set by Mr. Davies will be followed in many rural schools." We feel sure that Mr. Kirk will willingly assist those teachers who are following the example of Mauriceville West. The programme in drawing is not set out on definite lines. The good work done in the past in this district leads us to hope that the standard reached under Mr. Riley's able supervision will be maintained. Handwork is finding more favour with our teachers. Last year seventy schools earned capitation under the Manual and Technical Act, and this year we expect that the number will increase. The subjects taken were modelling, paper-folding, cutting and mounting, matweaving, cane-weaving, stick-laying, brick-laying, brushwork, design, free-arm drawing, cottagegardening, cookery, elementary agriculture, swimming, and sewing. We hope to see some schools earning capitation in physics, chemistry, botany, physiography, first aid and ambulance, and card-board-modelling. The Saturday drawing, technical, and drill classes are being continued as before, and we hope later in the year to establish classes for the teachers in woodwork and cookery. A grant from the Department enabled the Board to fit up cookery rooms in the Newtown and Terrace Schools. These centres are now being used under the temporary charge of Mrs. Neeley, a teacher who holds first-class certificates in artisan and high-class cookery. The Wairarapa classes, which have given such satisfaction to the country people in the past, are being continued by Miss Millington. In all schools from Grade 1 upwards there were only five schools which did not show any physical drill, and in these cases there was a change in the teaching staff about the time of our annual visit. Poles, clubs, dumb-bells, and Swedish drill are taken, in most cases very satisfactory. There was a marked improvement in the drill of those schools whose teachers are attending the Saturday class of the Wellington Physical Training School, and we are pleased to see that the Board has decided to continue that class this year. Military drill is taught in all our large schools, and the number of teachers taking up this work is increasing every year. Three battalions have now been formed and gazetted —Wairarapa, Wellington No. 1, and Wellington No. 2. Colonel Loveday has reported very favourably on the work done by the boys in many of our schools. He states, "As a rule I found a general improvement in drill. The position of those holding sergeant's rank is, however, not fully recognised by officers commanding—by this I mean that these non-commissioned officers should have every opportunity afforded them to qualify as such, thus giving the officers commanding every means to rely on their sergeants, who only require encouragement to learn the duties appertaining to their rank. I propose at my next inspection to ascertain what practical knowledge they have of their duties. This question forms the subject of C. 0. 27 of the Cadet Orders which were issued to all corps on the Ist February, 1904." All the officers of the various corps do not yet possess uniforms, but at a meeting—held this year—at which Colonel Loveday was present such arrangements were made as will enable all the officers to obtain uniforms, and we expect all our cadet corps to be fully equipped during the year. One hundred and eighty-seven candidates sat for the Board Scholarship Examination. The examiner, Mr. T. W. Rowe, M.A., in his report says, "I think I may fairly say that the work on the whole was good —some of it very good. It seems to me that the weak point was geography; the work of many candidates in this subject was feeble. In all the other subjects, however, the work was satisfactory, and in some highly so. The better papers in arithmetic were good, though, as a matter of fact, only one candidate obtained full marks. The English, also, was good. Composition, parsing, and analysis were all satisfactory, while most of the candidates had an excellent knowledge of the work (Lamb's ' Tales from Shakespeare ') specially studied during the year. The history generally was good, while the science was excellent. The greater number of candidates chose chemistry, physiology, or domestic economy. Of the three subjects, perhaps the papers in physiology were slightly the best. The papers as a whole were exceedingly neat and tidy, and the work generally well arranged." The Board has appointed a committee to consider the whole question of scholarship regulations, so that nothing further need be stated here. The pupil-teachers were examined by the Department, as was done last year. All but two succeeded in obtaining a higher classification. District high schools are in operation at Masterton and Pahiatua, and the Board should now take into consideration the question of extending similar benefits to other parts of the district. We sincerely hope that free places in the secondary schools will soon be available for the primary children in Wellington City. The advent of the new syllabus marks the beginning of a new epoch in the educational life of the colony. Its provisions have been discussed by all branches of the profession, and although, in

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