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priate modulation much more rare. Classes should be grouped, as far as may be, in this subject, and so leave time for comprehensive treatment of each passage. Arithmetic. —Oral work makes such great demands on the teachers' time that in sole-teacher schools, where all standards are represented, there continues to be difficulty in adequately treating arithmetic up to Standaid 11. Sometimes it is forgotten that following on the concrete presentment of the subject must come the memory-drill in tables. When in Australia lately I met a gentleman well known in educational circles, who said the alphabet was learned so scientifically in these days that the memorising of it was omitted, with the result that the pupils could not use a dictionary. I have tested some Marlborough pupils in this respect, and found they survived the ordeal, but some schools produce an analogous result by failure to memorise tables in arithmetic. In the intermediate standards very fair work was done, and, taken generally throughout the district, there has been considerable improvement. Much correction and reasoning on errors made are always marked features of schools where arithmetic is strong. English people, so long as they are wedded to a complex system of tables of weights and measures, cannot go quite so far as Americans and Germans in reducing the time given to arithmetic in the upper classes. Drawing.—The drawing of objects is one of the ways in which a child's self-activity and individuality may be cultivated. The teacher's duty then consists in seeing that the tasks are graduated according to the standard. In five schools defective grading was specially commented on. The deficiency noted year in scale drawing and in geometric drawing was largely remedied. Model-drawing would make greater progress if each school had a good supply of geometric solids; at present only the larger schools have a complete set. An experiment in the making of these will be tried in the woodwork room. The few lessons in model-drawing given at the Easter classes produced quite an observable heightening of efficiency. In freehand and model drawing the ruler and the rubber are sometimes abused. Pencil-work, however, is better; here, too, the exhibits of the Easter classes seem to have produced a good effect. Geography.—Next to history and composition this subject receives least satisfactory treatment. Mapping is not as prevalent as I should like to see it. Some valuable maps are to be found in Fairgrieve's "The Round World" (A. and C. Black). The syllabus appears to go too far in its discouragement of mapping. In one place it says maps showing minute detail should not be required. This is reasonable. But in another it suggests that rough maps of small portions of countries should alone be required. These small maps appear to have little or no value unless the rough map of the whole country is sufficiently well known to the child to help him to locate the smaller portion. Neture-study receives attention in various ways. Geographic phenomena are studied at first hand. Gardens and agriculture supplement the instruction; while other lessons, by correlation, introduce nature-study— e.g., crayon, brush, and pencil representations of shells, plants, &o. In history, as in geography, the amount assimilated by merely reading (with comment) is disappointing. The syllabus supplies a good list of topics. It is specially good as representing a winnowing-out of much that was useless in the older books, but it seems unnecessary to discourage memorising within those limits. Moral instruction receives fair attention. A number of schools have adopted mottoes that represent a continual appeal to the higher instincts of the children. They are of value as nuclei whence to extend moral interest to those principles of rectitude that, oft instilled, come at last to have meaning and power in life. All the work of school life is a training of the will. As Dr. Drummond says, "The cultivation of correct pronunciation, of distinct articulation in reading and singing, of a proper choice of words, of neatness and dexterity in the use of the hands, and of accuracy of observation, all these are a training of the will in so far as they involve effort, attention, and perseverance." Viewed thus broadly the moral instruction may be considered satisfactory. Order and discipline are for the most part good. Drill of various kinds is practised in the schools. Every school examined in 1908 provided instruction of this character. Breathing exercises were well taught. The Chaytor contests have a stimulating effect on the shooting of the cadets. There were forty-three competitors from seven of the largest schools. In these schools military drill is of a high order. Singing was neglected in several small schools, chiefly those under recently appointed teachers. A satisfactory degree of attention is bestowed on this subject, and in several of the larger schools the children receive a good and comprehensive training. A useful course was provided at the Easter classes. Needlework is well taught in most schools. It was pronounced excellent in eighteen. Handwork. —Fifty-three schools include handwork of some description in their programmes; many examples of plasticine-modelling and brush drawing seen at the schools were of high merit. Classes from ten schools attended at the Blenheim centre for instruction in cookery and woodwork (including one secondary and two private schools). The aggregate roll was :In woodwork, 205—average, 161; in cookery, 183—average, 149: total roll, 388—average, 310. These cover all classes — school, technical, and teachers. The school classes were: Roll, 306 — average, 249; as compared with 256 and 183 respectively in 1907. The average attendance has improved. These figures prove that the provision made by the Department is appreciated and availed of as greatly as possible. Some of the pupils walk to the Technical School, some come by rail, and some by special conveyance. In cookery the programmes of work have been formed covering in four years the course for the diploma of the City and Guilds of London Institute. The insufficiency of the capitation compelled the Board to terminate the engagement of the cookery instructress. Fresh arrangements are, however, made for continuing the classes. The cookery classes can register the minimum attendance in twenty weeks, the woodwork in thirty weeks. This disparity causes some difficulty in schools. The insufficiency of the capitation prevents the extension of the cookery instruction to thirty weeks. There are gardens at thirty-nine public and three private schools. They are

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