E—4.

No. 2. Report of the Dibbctor. Sir, — School for Deaf-mutes, Sunnier, sth May, 1904. I have the honour to report that there was little variation in the course of instruction marked out by the Director throughout the year. Contrary currents and favourable breezes might retard or favour the propelling-powers of the assistant teachers, but there was no vacillation as to

No. 1. ' Extract feom the Twenty- seventh Annual Eepokt of the Ministek op Education. The building which was in course of erection at the date of the last report is now finished, and will shortly lie occupied ; the arrangements for lighting and furnishing it are in progress. It contains quarters for the Director, a dining-hall 30 ft. by 60 ft., five class-rooms, dormitories for some forty inmates, and other necessary accommodation for their care and comfort. All the inmates will now be taught in this building, but until its completion by the addition of another wing only the girls will live in it, the boys continuing in the meantime to occupy the old building. The sum expended during the year upon the new building was £8,494 3s. 9d. In 190>! the amount was £609 12s. Bd. Four boys and 6 girls left the school during the year, and 3 boys and 11 girls were admitted. At the end of the year the number in residence was 34 boys and 30 girls, 1 boy and 5 girls more than at the end of 1902. The ordinary expenditure on the institution for the year 1903 was : Salaries of Director and teachers, £1,715 125.; steward, matron, and servants, £664 6s. 6d.; rent, £172; housekeeping, £1,076 95.; travelling-expenses (including transit of pupils), £210 17s. 3d.; school material and material for technical instruction, £7 9s. 5d.; general maintenance of buildings and furniture, £84 18s. Id. ; clothing, £27 14s. Id. ; medical attendance and medicine, £30 9s. Bd.; water-supply, £33 14s. ; sanitation, £16 17s. 6d. ; boarding-out of pupils, £221 9s. 4d.; sundries, £85 os. l()d. : total expenditure, £4,466 17s. Bd. Deducting recoveries, parents' contributions, £370 7s. 9d., the net expenditure was £4,096 9s. lid. The amount expended in 1902 was £3,655 10s. Bd. Two deaf-mute children who, from having received partial training the manual or sign system, were ineligible for admission to our own institution were maintained in the Victorian School for the Deaf, at a cost of £100 ; and one was under a private teacher in Auckland, to whom a fee of £20 was paid by the Department.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

EDUCATION : SCHOOL FOR DEAF-MUTES. [In continuation of E.-4, 1903.]

1904. NEW ZEALAND.