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E.—B

Civil-engineering Course. —-The Board of Governors authorised the re-establishment of the civil-engineering course, contingent on the necessary funds being forthcoming. Museum. Report of the Curator (Captain F. W. Hutton, F.R.S.) :— The Museum has made very good progress during the past year, and 1 would especially call attention to the Egyptian collection and to the Maori carvings. A new case has been placed in the Antiquity Room to hold the Egyptian things. The hailstorm on the 27th January did a great deal of damage to the skylights, which had to be repaired at a considerable expense. During the year exchanges have been sent to Professor Newton, of Cambridge ; to Mr. S. W. Neate, Lord Ranfurly, Mrs. Cheeseman ; and the Museums at Sydney, Albany, South Africa, Auckland, Wanganui, and Dunedin. Exchanges have been received from Professor Newton, Mr. S. W. Neate, Lord Ranfurly, Mrs. Cheeseman; and the Museums at Sydney, Wanganui, and Dunedin. The guide-book has sold well, 158 copies having been disposed of. A new edition will be required before the end of next year. The following are the principal additions to the collections during the year : — Natural History Collections. —An emperor penguin and an Adelaide penguin, presented by the Antarctic Relief Expedition. Five pairs of horns from India, presented by Mr. J. O'B. Beckett. The skin of a bird of paradise (Paradisea raggiana), presented by Mr. J. W. Piper; and the skeleton of a European snipe, received in exchange. Archaeological Collections. —An Egyptian collection, consisting of 145, mostly of work collected by Professor Flinders Petrie, and a collection of thirty-one pieces of old Indian arms, both purchased. Palasolithic implements from India, presented by Mr. H. Seaton-Karr. A sword-stick of the eighteenth century, presented by Mr. D. McLachlan. Two bronze celts and a marble vase from Egypt, presented by the Curator. Ethnographical Collections. —An old English dish, presented by Mr. Ell, M.H.R. The game of " The Reward of Merit," 1801, presented by Messrs. Ell, R. H. Rhodes, and G. Witty, Ms.H.R. An elephant-goad from India, presented by Lady Brown. A canoe from Savage Island ; two lime-spoons from New Guinea ; a carved boomerang ; and seven small ivory carvings from Japan, purchased. A cannibal fork and chief's breastplate from Fiji; two bronze vessels from Arabia ; a knife from Lapland ; eight bone carvings from Alaska ; two ivory carvings from Africa; and a prayer-wheel from Thibet, presented by the Curator. An old English bowl of lustre-ware; and two stone adzes from Rarotonga, received in exchange. New Zealand Collections. —A Bounty Island shag, presented by Captain Bollons. A curlew sandpiper, presented by Mr. Edgar Stead. A blackfish (Gentrolophus britannicus), presented by Mr. T. Clark. A Macquarie Island shag and a blade of baleen of Balenoptera sibbatdi, received in exchange. An old pistol-barrel, presented by Mr. H. C. Seymour. Maori Collections. —Prow of the old war-canoe " Ruapuki," from Kapiti; centrepiece of a pataka, from Opotiki; carved figure, from the pa at Maketu; carved centre-post of a runangahouse at Tolago Bay; two carved panels, from the verandah of a whare ; a shell-fish, from Rotorua; a bark pigeon-carrier ; ako ; three flax belts ; and a large stone pounder, all purchased. A stone mere, from the Chatham Islands, also purchased. A plain wooden box, presented by the Curator. Library. —Besides the usual presentations from museums and scientific societies, the following additions have been made: The Century Dictionary, purchased; Beddard's "Book of Whales," and his " Structure and Classification of Birds," presented by the Curator. School of Art. Report of the Art Master (Mr. G. H. Elliott) :— As compared with 1902, the numbers in attendance were :— 1902. —First term —Morning, 27 ; afternoon, 1; evening, 203 ; Saturday, 138. Second term— Morning, 29; afternoon, 4; evening, 175; Saturday, 101. Third term —Morning, 29; afternoon, 2 ; evening, 155 ; Saturday, 87. 1903. —First term—Morning, 29; afternoon, 5 ; evening, 157 ; Saturday, 74. Second term— Morning, 30; afternoon, 3 ; evening, 144; Saturday, 92. Third term—Morning, 30 ; afternoon, 2; evening, 135 ; Saturday, 98. Drawing and Painting. —This has comprised work from the antique, life, landscape, and still life, whilst all students have been encouraged also to take modelling as a help in the study of form. The standard of work has been well up to that of former years, especially in life and landscape. Less antique and still-life work have been done, as more attention is now being devoted to applied art work, such as repousse and carving. Modelling, Moulding, and Casting. —Work has been done from the cast (ornament and antique), from the life, a few busts, and from animal forms. It has been done in different kinds of relief, and in the round or full relief. A few students have modelled their ornaments preparatory to carving or repousse, and it is to be hoped this practice will increase. There are still very few tradesmen attending, to whom this work would be of benefit, such as plasterers, carvers, &c. Wood and Stone Carving and BepoussS Work. —The character of this work has been of a similar nature and standard to that of the previous year. Repousse has been the more favoured work, comparatively few doing carving. There has on the whole been a greater desire and ambition to produce original designs, but there is still much room for improvement in this respect. It is desirable that other forms of applied art should be encouraged and practised, as embossed