E.— 8

5

Scott and Robert Burns), Professor Macuiillan Brown (Anne Hathaway's Cottage, Stratford-on-Avon), and the Lady Principal (Canterbury Cathedral). Pictures of Durham Cathedral and Stratford-on-Avon have also been purchased with the school funds. The roll-number for the third term of 1906 was 189; the numbers for 1907 were —First term, 213; second term, 216; third term, 217. The increase was to some extent due to the Senior Free Place regulations, enabling pupils to continue longer at the school than they would otherwise have done. Now that both Senior and Junior Free Place regulations are in full working-order, the number leaving will balance the admissions, and the roll may be expected to remain fairly stationary—between 200 and 220 —for some years to come. The health of the pupils during the first two terms was particularly good, but an epidemic of influenza has made the average attendance low for the third term. Two of the teachers were absent on leave during the first and second terms of the year —Miss Henderson, 8.A., and Miss Bing, B.A. Their places were taken by Miss Mary Barker, M.A., and Miss Grace Greenstreot, B.A. Miss Marie Bell Hay was also away during the months of March and April, owing to overstrain of the voice. Her work was temporarily done by Miss M. Hunt and Miss E. Hassall, B.A. Miss Bing resumed duty at the middle of the second term. At the close of the same term Miss E. Cull, M.A., resigned, and Miss M. Barker, M.A., was appointed to the vacancy. Miss Henderson returned to the school at the beginning of the third term, after her twelve months' leave of absence, and, as Mr. C. H. Gilby's resignation of his position as teacher of book-keeping and shorthand made further assistance necessary, Miss Greenstreet was then appointed to the regular staff. A pleasant feature of the year was the Empire Day celebration, held in the Canterbury College Hall on the morning of the 3rd June, as the school holidays made it inadvisable on the 24th May. This event is the more worthy of note as it is the first time that all the educational institutions under the control of the Board of Governors have taken part in a united function. Visits of inspection were paid during the month of November by Mr. T. H. Gill, M.A., LL.B., on behalf of the Inspector-General of Schools, and by Mr. Isaac, Inspector of Technical Classes. At the December University examinations four pupils sat for the Junior University Scholarship Examination : two of them, Catherine Reynolds and Lydia Suckling, were awarded Senior National Scholarships, and also the two Gammack Scholarships; Lilian Griffin matriculated in the Credit List, and has been given a Normal Training College Bursary, and Annie Hulston passed the Matriculation Examination on the results of her work. Two pupils sat for the Medical Preliminary Examination, and both passed. Twenty-one sat for Matriculation, and nineteen passed, all but one taking Latin, and thereby also qualifying for the Solicitors' General Knowledge Examination. Nine pupils sat for Junior Civil Service Examination, and seven passed, six beingplaced in the Credit List, and one, Agnes Satchell, twelfth on the list, being the highest Canterbury lady candidate. For the Senior Free Place Examination forty-six were examined, and thirty-two passed. Senior Board of Education Scholarships were awarded on the results of the Senior Free Place Examinations to Eileen Fairbairn, Melvina Miles, Elizabeth Harvey, and Rachel Smith. At the November Canterbury College examinations the only exhibitions awarded to lady students were won by ex-pupils of this school, that for Latin being given to Irene Wilson, for French to Ellen Baxter, for physical science to Edith Jackson, for biology to Margaret Farrow, and for mental science to Millicent Bailey. In the University degree examinations of December, 1906, Isabella Griffin won the Senior Scholarship in French, Isabella Keith gained the degree of M.A. with second-class honours in English and Urench, Ada O'Callaghan the degree of M.A. with second-class honours in mathematics, Mary F. Barker the degree of M.A. with third-class honours in Latin and French, Winifred Opie the degree of M.A., Isabella Griffin, Gwen Opie, and Nellie Slocombe that of B.A. At Victoria College, Wellington, the Sir George Grey Scholarship was won by Mary Barkas. The approved school boardinghouse has been moved to 24 Park Terrace, where the girls enjoy every advantage in the matter of the site, which is one of the best in Christchurch; the grounds, which are ample and very secluded ; and the house, which was the residence of the late Sir John Hall, is exceptionally well built. Ten girls were in residence there during the last term of the year, their general health and conduct being quite satisfactory. Boys' High School. (Headmaster, Mr. C. E. Bevan-Brown, M.A.J The school roll for 1907 was 214 for the first term, 225 for the second term, and 228 for the third term. These numbers include the Preparatory Form, which had 18, 23, 25 respectively for the three terms. The number of free places last year amounted to 53 junior and 41 senior, a total of 94, as against 73 in 1906. At the present moment there are 100 free pupils. Parents, and a great many teachers also, seem still unaware of the existence of the Junior Free Place Examination. The new Technical Day School, as well as West Christchurch District High School, take some of the successful candidates. The Upper School still tends to expand—so much so that this yea* (1908) we have had to constitute a new form, the Middle Fifth. In 1907 the Upper School comprised 99 boys, as against 90 for 1906, and 74 for 1896 (when the roll of the school was larger). The average length of a boy's stay at school is increasing, and, although the school roll has been higher, we have never had so many boys doing secondary work proper. Of the 99 boys in the Upper School in December last, 63 entered for University, or Education Board, or Junior Civil Service Examinations; 14 in the Lower Sixth and Upper Fifth did not enter, having already passed Matriculation or Civil Service, and not having reached a stage when they could enter for Junior University Scholarships. Of the 36 boys in the Lower Fifth, 27 sat