E.—s.

Extract from the Report of the Director of the Wellington Technical School. The average numbers attending were about the same as in l'.)<>7. being in both years considerably above any former year. A falling-off in the numbers of students, greater than usually occurs, took place towards the end of the year, due apparently to .slackness of trade in the town. Many students, in resigning their places at the school, complained that they were compelled to go into the country to seek work." The same cause operated in the case of day technical students, several being transferred from the day to the evening classes*in order to start wage-earning. The numbers attending were, however, considerably beyond the normal capacity of the school buildings. The .average number of students'receiving instruction was somewhat over 1,100, of whom about 440 held junior or senior free places. The attendance of students at class was for the most part fairly satisfactory. In the day classes the attendance was very good, in the evening classes it was somewhat irregular, especially that of junior free-place students in the compulsory subjects. There was a marked increase in the number of free evening students, both junior and senior, accompanied by a slight decrease in the number of free day students. The growing attendance of junior free-place students of tender years at the evening classes, while a natural accompaniment of dull times, is much to be regretted, as there can be no doubt that the best results are obtained when the two years as junior free student are spent in day classes. The year 1908 has been one of steady progress in most branches of the school-work. The art classes generally have been well attended, and the work shows greater promise than in former years. The life classes especially, which had been stationary for some time under temporary teachers, are now making marked progress under Mr. Richardson. The art crafts classes have been carefully and intelligently carried on, and some excellent work done. In the South Kensington Art Examinations the students were very successful, and also in winning awards in the competitions for technical schools at the Agricultural and Pastoral Show at Palmerston North. The art staff is now very strong, and all the work is being done conscientiously, and by sound methods. The electrical and mechanical engineering classes have done some good work, but are still sadly hampered by lack of necessary laboratory room and equipment, besides being handicapped by irregularity of attendance, due to students working overtime or on night shift. The most pressing problem in these as in other classes for industrial workers is that of so arranging the courses for apprentices as to provide all the training which they should receive at the school without unduly interfering with their ordinary work as breadwinners. Our experience in this school points to the necessity for making the attendance of apprentices and other learners at technical classes compulsory, especially in the case of free students. Considering how the system of free compulsory education in the primary schools tends to diminish the authority of the parent by substituting the authority of the State, it would appear to be a weakness of the present arrangements that the sole authority of the parent in relation to further training should lie invoked at a juncture in the child's life when change of occupation and early adolescence tend to make it specially intractable. For children proceeding from primary to secondary or day technical schools the matter is not very serious, but for those who go to work and have no other incentive to evening studies than their parents' authority and their own often limited interest and somewhat shadowy ambitions, the position is very unsatisfactory. Considering how closely the welfare of the State depends on the complete and profitable development of the individual, there seems to be some reason for moving in the direction of enforcing attendance at continuation and technical classes on all those who are likely to benefit the State by being specially trained. The oft-repeated plea that those who do not of their own free-will attend evening classes to improve their acquaintance with the principles and practice of their trade or profession are not worth compulsion, while it had great weight in the case of men and women of mature years, has practically no'valuc when made in relation to those who, though perhaps earning their own livelihood, are yet in matters of judgment and experience as much infants as in matters of law—liable to punishment for their faults, but incompetent to make their own contracts. The evening classes are specially distasteful to the rank and file of the tradesmen apprentices, and we have almost daily evidence of the difficulties which parents and employers experience in trying to make the young worker attend classes after the ordinary day's work is done. In addition, the young worker not seldom labours under disadvantages arising from his being obliged to work overtime or on night shifts which prevent him making regular attendance, however anxious ho mi.y be to seize every opportunity of advancing himself. For these who have already completed the main portion of their training the evening class is an excellent means of consolidating'and extending their knowledge. We have many such students at the

50

Ixpen, hire. Administration. Balance at Beginning of ttu. ]ll<i<li'tlt<lt Ezpcmea. Furniture, kdverttalng, Fittingi, ami Printing, App Lighting;, aiul Heating. Knd of Year. Totals. Centre. B&Urlea ol foetnicton. £ e. d. 11 10 8 £, s. d. 10 0 0 £ B. d. GOO £ s. d. 2 0 9 £ e. a. £ a. d. 6 17 3 9 7 'J £ s. d. 11 10 8 25 4 0 14 7 9 4 12 3 lasterton .. larterton .. Ireytown .. 3 2 3 5 0 0 1 10 0 Totals .. 14 12 11 11 10 0 G 6 0 2 0 <J 5 0 0 16 5 0 55 14 8