67

E.—s

the commercial department the corresponding numbers were 705 and 509, or an increase of 38 per cent. In the day-school the numbers on the roll for 1907 were 100 ; for 1908, 158; while at the School of Domestic Instruction, the control of which was taken over by the Board at the end of 1907, the average number of entries for the three terms of last year was 289. An even greater testimony to the earnestness of the instructors and the appreeial ion of their efforts by the students is given by the average attendance at our evening (lasses. In considering these it must be borne in mind that practically the whole of our students are engaged in trade or business, that not infrequently they have to work overtime, or even to go into the country for weeks or months at a time, and that the regular non-attend-ance of a single student in every ten will reduce the average attendance by Io per cent. Now, in the first term of the year, out of every 100 possible attendances at the trade classes 92 actual attendances were made: in the commercial, out of every lot) possible attendances there were 88 actual; and in the School of Domestic Instruction, out of every 1(X) possible there were 93 actual. During the last term of the session, out of 100 possible there were 75 actual in the trade classes, and 74 in the commercial ; and, though this may seem a considerable falling-oIY from the first term, yet. when it is remembered that a session of thirty-eight weeks is a severe te-st of the enthusiasm of students at work all the day. and that the longer evenings of October and November present many temptations, 1 am sure it will be admitted that these figures reflect very great credit indeed on students and instructors alike. The growth of the work is perhaps shown even more strikingly by the amount earned as capitation. In the year 1906. when the institution was first placed under the control of the present contributing bodies, the amount of capitation earned was £499 ; in 1907. £1,255 ; and in 1908, £2,107. It will be a source of satisfaction to the Department and to the public to know that this largely increased instruction is being given at a considerably reduced relative cost ; for. while- the ordinary expenditure last vi-ar was only two and one-third times w ha I ii was two years before, the amount of instruction given is four and a half times as great. This year, for the first time, our students have entered for the- City and Guilds of London Examination, and for those of the English Board of Education in building-con-struction and drawing. The number of candidates was very small, but we have had difficulty in persuading our students both that these certificates are of worldwide value and that examinations are not really a serious ordeal. Now that the first batch of candidates has done so well, we. hope that a much larger number will enter next year. The results are as follows : Cabinetmaking, ordinary grade (four candidates), three first-class certificates; building-construction and architectural drawing (three candidates), three first-class certificates. In the" commercial department the examinations are at present conducted by the instructors and myself, but in the trades department we have the- advantage of the assistance of gentlemen unconnected with the College, who are of eminence in each of the particular trades. The reports of the Honorary Examiners have- been published in the Press and circulated among the contributing bodies. They may be summarised in one sentence: "In each case then- has been a marked improvement on the work of the previous year, both in the quality and the amount of the work submitted." As the reports of last year were also in general very commendatory, this will be seen to be high praise. No College diploma has yet been awarded, and the Board, recognising the value that is everywhere attached to the examinations held by the City and Guilds of London, has decided that in the trades department the diploma shall only be granted where in addition to the College certificates the student has obtained the honours certificate of the above institute. The- Education Department has made arrangements for holding examinations in the skilled trades and in the arts in connection with the English Board of Education and the City and Cuilds of London; and it would seem very desirable that, in order to test the commercial work done in our technical institutions, similar arrangements should he made with the London Chamber of Commerce or the Society of Arts. These would provide for us the same tests that are applied at 1 lonic, and would give to our work in these branches a higher value in the eyes of the public. J. H. Howell, Director. Stall na nt ol Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending ilst December. 1908, in respect of Associated Classes conducted at the Christchurch Technical College. Receipts. £ c. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. 493 3 5 Salaries of instructors .. .. .. 2,905 4 1 Capitation on associated classes .. .. 1,757 3 2 Office and working expenses (including Capitation on account of free places .. 1,131 7 3: salaries, stationery, &c.) .. .. 461 12 4 Buildings .. .. .. .. 769 18 10 Advertising and printing .. .. 113 19 7 Rent .. .. .. .. .. 100 0 0 Lighting and heating .. .. .. 317 2 8 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 1,290 8 6 Insurance and repairs .. .. .. 34 12 11 Material .. .. .. .. 68 14 3 Rent .. .. .. .. .. 200 0 0 Subsidies on voluntary contributions .. 1,125 19 4 Material for class use .. .. .. 394 2 7 Pees .. .. .. 756 610 Seddon Memorial Hall .. .. .. 1,399 15 6 Voluntary contributions .. .. 450 9 0 Prize Fund .. .. .. .. 20 9 7 Sales, books, &o. .. .. 301 18 3 ' Sales, books, &c. .. .. 286 10 7 Deposits for breakages .. .. .. 9 2 6 Contracts (new buildings, additions, &c.) .. 1,016 2 8 Prize Fund subscriptions .. .. 23 12 6 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 1,265 19 1 Salaries .. ' .. .. .. 89 18 9 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 346 0 2 Lighting and cleaning .. .. .. 30 16 6 Working expenses (refund) .. .. 0 5 0 Received from North Canterbury Education Board on account of teachers' and Bchool classes .. .. .. • • 362 7 8 £8,761 11 9 £8,761 11 9 James Hight, Chairman [ . M John H. Howell, Secretary) Managers -