1.—14 a

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Before passing to the next point, 1 should like to mention the anomaly (for such it seems to me) of schools in country districts taking up .such subjects as typewriting and shorthand in preference to agriculture, dairy-work, or cottage-gardening. Surely 7 , to mention such an anomaly is sufficient. 3. It has been said that to expect such instruction as has been indicated from untrained teachers is to put the cart before the horse : and it is further implied that the Department has done and is doing nothing towards the training of the teachers. Now, this does not exactly describe the facts. For many years past the Government has made grants to the several Education Boards for the training of their teachers in those subjects of manual instruction that may be taught in schools, and free railway passes have been issued to teachers desiring to attend the training classes established b3 7 the Boards. The application of the money to the particular branches of manual instruction has been left to the discretion of the Education Boards. I regret to say that in very few instances do I find that the Boards have applied the money to the establishment of classes for training teachers in elementary agriculture. This, again, is another point you might urge upon your local Education Board. I must not omit to say that these training classes for teachers receive the statutory capitation grants under the Manual and Technical Instruction Acts in addition to the special grants given to the Boards. The present regulations for teachers' certificates encourage the study of agriculture and agricultural science to a far greater extent than the former regulations, and any teacher who gives evidence of special qualification for teaching these subjects may in future have that fact indorsed on his certificate. I know of no reason a priori or from experience, why women teachers should not do as good work in teaching nature-study, dairying, and elementary agriculture, or in conducting school gardens as those of our own sex. The training colleges will be expected in future to make agriculture a part of their course; and it is intended that all teachers, if possible, shall pass through the colleges. The two to be established, as well as those already established in Christchurch and Dunedin, are to be open to persons from all parts of the colony, and in the case of those who have been pupil-teachers, the allowances made to the students are liberal enough to meet all the expenses of board and tuition. But I contend that any intelligent teacher, who is worth his salt, and is in earnest about ths matter, can begin forthwith to introduce systematic nature-study into his school, and will find that his work will grow easier and the interest greater the further he carries the new methods New Zealand teachers I believe to be as capable of making progress in this way- as those of any other country 7. Cannot we do here as much as was done twent3 7 years ago without special previous training in France and Denmark? 4. I have spent a long time in showing what I believe can be done in the preliminary stages; but we should not rest there. There are those who have left school to be provided for — i.e., the sons and daughters of farmers, and others who intend to take up farming or other rural occupations. Something ought to be done at once for those persons. The Technical Committees of several of the County- Councils in Great Britain have done excellent work of this kind, and in many respects their example might be followed very closely here. I may mention in England the County 7 Councils of Cheshire, Wiltshire, and Hampshire, &c, and in Scotland, Ayrshire, Lanark, &c. In New Zealand full powers have been given to local authorities for the establishment of classes for agricultural instruction as for any other branch of technical education. I would especially direct your notice to subsection (3) of section 4 of the Manual and Technical Instruction Act of 1900, which enables, among others, an agricultural and pastoral association, or any similar body, a County Council or other local authority to join with a Board of Education in forming "associated classes" for manual or technical instruction (including, of course, agricultural instruction) or continuation classes. Section 16 of the Act, as amended by the Act of 1902, allows any local authority to give land or buildings, or money 7 out of its general funds for aiding classes under the Act. Societies or local authorities joining in the formation of classes are entitled to representation on the boards of " managers " in proportion to their contributions to the cost of maintenance; and a subsidy of £1 for £1 is, by statute, payable upon all voluntary 7 contributions from any private person or any local authority. If City Councils and Borough Councils join with industrial associations and trade-unions (as they have done) to form classes intended for training apprentices and others in towns, WII3 7 should not the farmers' union, the agricultural and pastoral association, and the Count3 7 Councils join in forming classes for the farmers of the coming generation? Ido not think the fear of financial difficulty need stand in the way. The Act provides a higher rate of capitation for classes held in country districts. For each individual attendance of one hour a payment of 4Jd. is made—that is, for each lesson of two hours (practice and theory 7 combined) a payment of 9d. a head is made. An attendance of twenty would give 15s. for each lesson. Grants may be made by the Government for buildings, apparatus, and material; and there would be the fees payable by the students, as well as the voluntary contributions (doubled, as I have said, by the subsidy). The Boards of Education might be somewhat timid in this matter, but they- would, at all events, allow the use of their buildings, if they did nothing more. The Act of 1902 makes special arrangements for itinerant classes in country districts. The regulations (see clause 45) name as subjects that may be recognised : " (19) Agriculture, (20) horticulture, (2l) dairy--work. . . . (24) wool-sorting," and, what is surely 7 wide enough, " (25) other similar subjects." Technical scholarships may be held under certain conditions at such classes as I have suggested by any pupils who have previously gained a certificate of proficiency (Standard VI.) in the publicschool course; and in that case 3d. per head per hour may be added to the capitation named above, thus making for holders of scholarships the payment Is. 3d. for a lesson of two hours iv length.