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its deserving pupils to proceed, if so desired, to the more advanced work of a secondary school, where a further course of two or three years may enable them to take up work on special technical lines at the age of sixteen or seventeen—the lowest limit approved by the best authorities. The nature-study lesson will, necessarily, to some extent take cognisance of the economic bearing of simple facts observable in plant and animal life. In this direction, and in the encouragement of cottagegardening as its ancillary occupation, we are convinced the primary school will render most effective service. Extract from the Report on the Classes conducted by the Christchurch Technical Classes Association. Owing to the resignation, in October, 1904, of the Managers who were elected by the contributing bodies, the control of the classes became vested in the North Canterbury Board of Education, who continued them during the year 1905. During that time efforts were made to place the classes on a more permanent basis, resulting in many public bodies interested in technical education agreeing to contribute towards their maintenance. New Managers were appointed in November, Owing to the uncertainty of the classes being continued a gradual falling-off in the number of students was experienced, and some classes were closed in consequence. During the year the following classes were carried on : Continuation classes for English, arithmetic, mensuration, algebra, commercial arithmetic, correspondence, and geometrical drawing—total entries, 807 ; commercial classes for typewriting, shorthand, and book-keeping —total entries, 684; technical classes for plumbing, dress-cutting, tailoring, carpentry, and coachbuilding—total entries, 274. The prospects of the coming year are more encouraging, by the renewed interest of the public bodies, the appointment of a duly qualified Director, the granting of a site for the permanent buildings by the North Canterbury Board of Education, and the Government grant of £3,000 towards the cost of the necessary buildings. Attached hereto is a statement of receipts and expenditure for the year. Statement of Beceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1905, in respect of Classes conducted by the Christchurch Technical Association. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ c. d. Balance at bpginning of year .. .. 91 19 1 Salaries of instructors .. .. .. 548 0 6 Capitation on classes .. .. .. "226 13 0 Office expenses (including salaries, staCapitation on technical scholarships .. 370 13 6 tionery, &c ) .. .. .. 211 6 9 R»nt ~ .. .. .. .. 173 4 0 Advertising and printing.. .. .. 56 17 0 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. ... 112 6 Lighting, heating, and cleaning .. .. 89 2 7 Material .. .. .. 13 11 9 Insurance and repairs .. .. .. 710 0 Fees .. .. .. .. .. 156 1 6 Rent .. .. .. .. 178 4 0 Voluntary contributions .. .. .. 75 19 0 Material for class use .. .. .. 10 13 0 Sales .. .'. .. .. .. 012 3 Fees refunded .. .. .. .. 110 0 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 7 2 9 £1,110 6 "7 £1.110 6 7 T. Garrard, Secretary. Extract from the Report on the Classes conducted by the Lyttelton Technical Classes Association. During the year ended the 31st December, 1905, classes were held for instruction in woodwork, cookery, and dressmaking. In the woodwork and cookery divisions the instruction was practicall}- reduced to school classes, the attendance at the adult divisions having fallen off to such an extent that it became necessary to discontinue holding them. The dressmaking classes, too, at which the attendance was well maintained during the previous year, showed a marked tendency in a like direction, and the fact is becoming most apparent that it is impossible, in a town with the population limited to the extent of that of Lyttelton, to maintain classes of this nature for adults for any great length of time. Good work is unquestionably being done in the school woodwork and cookery classes, in which the pupils take considerable interest in their work and make satisfactory progress. Statement of Beceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1905, in respect of the Classes conducted by the Lyttelton Technical Classes Association. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. 29 5 1 Salaries pf instructors .. .. .. 68 15 0 Capitation on classes .. .. .. 48 9 0 Lighting and heating .. .. .. 3 8 3 Bent .. .. .. .. 40 0 0 Rent .. .. .. .. 40 0 0 Subsidies on voluntary contributions .. 10 0 0 Material for class use .. .. .. 510 7 Fees .. .. .. .. 13 10 0 Cleaning .. .. .. .. 5 10 Voluntary contributions .. .. .. 10 0 0 Bank fee .. .. .. .. 010 0 Incidentals .. .. .. .. 011 7 Balanoe at end of year .. .. .. 27 7 8 £151 4 1 £151 4 1 G. A. Lewin, Hon. Secretary.