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special subjects in a number of them. Several schools in the Middle Ward are doing very good work in agricultural training. The instruction is both practical and experimental, the aim being to show the effects produced upon plants by the use of artificial manures, sunlight, moisture, &c, and the results obtained are highly suggestive, and must prove of value to the pupils in later life. Petane and Papakura are especially worthy of mention, but in other places, notably at Kaikora, Te Aute, Havelock, Mangateretere, Taradale, and Omahu, school gardens are beginning to take a proper place in the training of pupils. In the North Ward school gardens are the rule, but experimental work is not carried on, and yet much practical and useful instruction is given by an enthusiastic worker in nature-study, who visits the schools from time to time to demonstrate points connected with tree-planting and flower-growing. An instructor in elementary agriculture on the lines of the demonstrations given during the meeting of the winter school is badly wanted, not so much for the children as for the teachers. As soon as the latter feel themselves on sure ground instruction in elementary agriculture and gardening will occupy a prominent place in the work of country schools. The best school gardens in the North Ward are to be found at Frasertown, Kaiti, Gisborne District High School, Mangapapa, Ormond, Whatatutu, Waerenga-a-hika, Makauri, and Patutahi. The December class promotions and the synchronous examinations of candidates for the proficiency certificate took place a few days before the closing of schools for the midsummer vacation. The plan is general for the Dominion schools, and it is worth while to again remark that the new plan has appreciably affected the regularity of children at school during the December quarter. The presentations of pupils for proficiency certificates show a falling-off compared with those for the year 1907. It is difficult to account for this steady diminution in the number of pupils belonging to the two highest standards. With a roll of nearly ten thousand pupils in the schools of the district there were fewer "pupils in Standard VI in the year 1908 than there were in the year 1903, when the school attendance was less by 1,400 pupils. The pupils in Standard V have not diminished to any extent, and, as the falling-oil in numbers is mainly in Standards VI and VII, it would seem that a large proportion of children have been withdrawn from school on the completion of the Fifth Standard course. Under the regulation an exemption certificate, S5, can only be given after special examination, and if this is necessary there is clearly little or no supervision in the case of children leaving school, for the certificates of exemption issued to pupils in Standard V in this district are very few. Since the year 1903 the number of pupils in Standards VI and VII has diminished from 985 to 729. This declension, however, is common to all the schools of the Dominion, but it is more marked in this education district than elsewhere. Free classification lias apparently stayed the pressure that was urged against the system of examination and promotion by Inspectors. If the purpose is to broaden and strengthen the groundwork in the schools, the results can only end in benefit to education. But the marked diminution that has taken place in the number of Standard VII pupils may be accounted for in another way. Since the year 1903 three district high schools have been established, and, although they have been staffed by capable teachers, only 163 pupils were returned as belonging to the Seventh Standard in all the schools of the district at the end of the year, whilst 329 pupils were in the Seventh Standard at the close of the year 1903. In the latter year every teacher who was capable of giving secondary instruction made an effort to keep the ex Standard VI pupils at school, and this acted beneficially in many ways, as it often meant pecuniary help to the teachers and greater thoroughness to the children. But when children, after passing Standard VI, were debarred from attending a public school if within five miles of a district high school or of a secondary school, many children left school for ever on obtaining the Standard VI certificate of competency. The abolition of this certificate would be an educational gain on the understanding that a supplementary examination would be held for the benefit of candidates who failed to obtain the proficiency certificate. As an incentive to unsuccessful candidates to continue at school,, an examination at the end of the first half-year might be held for the benefit of all pupils who obtained not less than 40 per cent, of marks in the previous December examination. Keference was made last year to the effect of free classification on the teaching and the general efficiency of the schools. A qualified approval of the plan was based on the condition of the schools that were in the hands mainly of uncertificated or untrained teachers, and on the uncertainty of an Inspector's duty in relation thereto. Regulation 10, dealing with the inspection of schools, is too indefinite as a guide under present arrangements. No doubt a serious mistake was made when freedom of classification was permitted in the case of all teachers and all schools. The privilege is one that should be reserved for teachers who have proved their worthiness and competency by long experience and efficient work. Periodical examinations are good even in the case of efficient schools, but when an examination is wanted the local authorities themselves should make application to the Inspectors for such examination. The non-examined schools might well be known as the " honour schools " of a district, but every, school not classed as efficient or which is in charge of a teacher not holding a certificate of qualification should be examined, or, if not examined, should receive an instructor's direct help in training and teaching for not less than three consecutive days in a year until the schools were raised to a proper standard of efficiency. Small outlying schools present difficulties that no amount of training-college instruction can meet, and teachers who would successfully carry on the work of such schools must become adapted to the special environment, and arrangements must be made for their training and instruction. _ . Accepting the principle of free classification in schools that are recognised as efficient, the aim should be to help the inefficient teachers, and train them so that the present unsatisfactory conditions shall disappear. An itinerant trainer and instructor of country teachers is a presentday need. To this should be added the issue of monthly schemes of work, and suggestions in teaching—adapted to country requirements and issued by the Central Department. Playing at