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youths of either sex an opportunity of making themselves better acquainted with the principles underlying their respective trades or occupations. Of the schools that took up manual work early in the year, seventy-one have carried on the instruction with sufficient regularity to entitle the Board to grants from the Department. About eighty schools have submitted particulars of classes proposed to be held during the present year. There is still some difficulty in supplying material and apparatus for these classes. It is not practicable for teachers to submit complete requisitions until the close of the preceding year : this leaves the Board insufficient time to obtain the material and apparatus, which has to be imported. The difficulty can be best met by the Board anticipating the year's requirements by ordering beforehand what may be termed "current lines," leaving the purchase of articles not in general use until the requisitions have been sent in ; the amount now in hand and due in respect of classes already held will enable the Board to adopt this course for the future. Further simplification in the returns required of teachers appears necessary, among which may be mentioned that of the average attendance for the year, which, with benefit to all concerned, might well be made the ordinary average attendance of the class instructed. Report on Woodwork Classes. Christchurch Glasses.—The number of boys attending these classes increased so much that additional hours had to be set apart for them. During the first two terms there were eight classes for boys. In addition to these there was also a teachers' class on Saturday mornings and a Tuesday evening class for adults. During the third term a class of Seventh Standard boys attended from the Normal School. The work done during the year has been quite up to the standard of previous years. Many of the Board's teachers have assisted in arranging the classes, several of which were held during school-hours. Much of the drawing required is now done at the schools under the teachers' supervision, in which connection the inspectors have met the teachers and myself in a liberal spirit. The teachers' class has been fairly well attended, and several teachers have successfully passed the City and Guilds of London Examination in Woodwork. Lyttdton Classes.—The boys' classes have continued to be well attended, and the work is good. The headmaster of the borough school is taking great interest in the work, and consequently there is good attendance and excellent discipline. The evening class for adults has not been so well attended as previously. Ashburton Classes.—These are the best school classes under the Board's control. As m previous years, the attendance has been excellent and the discipline good. The drawing has been done in school hours. In all cases more or less school time has been used to allow the boys to attend, each class being accompanied by a teacher. At this centre the inspectors have also materially helped the work. The public of Ashburton take great interest in the work and subscribe liberally to the prize fund. A most successful exhibition was held in November, on the occasion of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association's Annual Show. The President has been a liberal supporter of the classes, and loses no opportunity of bringing visitors to see the boys at work. F. W. Sandford, Instructor. Extract from the Report of the Managers of the Christchurch Technical Classes Association. Three years ago the Canterbury Industrial Association, whose object is to aid, foster, and encourage the industries and products of New Zealand, set up a strong committee to consider the importance of technical training. That committee invited the co-operation of the city and suburban Councils, the leading educational and other public institutions, also the city and district members of Parliament, and, after many conferences, resolved to organize associated classes under " The Manual and Technical Instruction Act, 1900." A guarantee fund was established by the various public and local bodies, and a Board of Managers appointed. In April, 1903, eight continuation classes were formed, with a roll of 66 students, to which were added in the second term 17 additional classes, consisting of 4 continuation classes with 68 students, 9 classes for commercial subjects with 199 students, and 4 technical classes with 79 students, making a full total of 25 classes with 405 students. The work was still further extended in the third and last term of the year, 31 classes being held with a roll of 505 students, the additional classes being 4 for commercial subjects and 5 for technical. The subjects treated of in the continuation classes included arithmetic, mensuration, mathematics, and drawing. In the commercial classes instruction was given in shorthand, typewriting and correspondence, and commercial law. The technical classes included classes for carpentry and joinery, coachbuilding, tailoring, plumbing, and wool-classing. The great difficulty experienced by the Board in providing accommodation for the increasing demands of each term was from time to time placed before the Minister of Education, with the result that a subsidy was offered up to £3,000 on the sum arising from the sale of the South Belt School and site for the purpose of erecting permanent buildings for a technical school in Christchurch. It is to be regretted that future progress in this direction cannot be recorded owing to the sale of the South Belt site not taking place. As regards the work accomplished, it is considered that a fair amount of success has been attained, and this view is confirmed by the Government Inspector and by the delegates of the contributing bodies who inspected the classes at work, and it is hoped that the aim of the managers to create a more intelligent and deeper interest on the part of students in their daily avocations has been partly attained. A study of the first year's work reveals a demand for premature specialisation of a kind that will give showy results without the drudgery of solid foundation-work, but the future managers will do well, even at the risk of a reduction in numbers, to direct this demand into a channel that will give more practical results. . _