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among the best in the Dominion. The workshops are well equipped for the work, while well-graded and full courses of instruction are generally provided. The attendance at classes for pure and applied art continues to increase. Here again well-arranged courses are in most cases provided. It is indeed becoming the exception for students attending these and other classes to take single subjects. Courses are being more and more insisted on b}' directors of technical schools. Classes for commercial instruction appear to be as much in demand as ever. Classes for such instruction were held at forty-five centres, while the total average attendance continues to be higher than for any other group of subjects. Classes for various subjects related to domestic pursuits were held at eightyeight centres, with a total average attendance of over 3,000. In the larger centres steps are being taken to establish full courses in domestic economy, and it is hoped that before long it will be found possible to provide efficient instruction in the various subjects included in the term " home economics." The appointments recently made by the Council of the Otago University in connection with the Chair of Domestic Science at that institution should do much to place the teaching of domestic subjects on a sound footing. It is gratifying to note the liberal support in the way of voluntary contributions that is beingaccorded to the movement in Otago. Instruction in subjects related to agricultural and pastoral pursuits has again been almost entirely confined to wool classing and sorting. Classes to the number of sixty were held at forty places, the total average attendance being over 800. Last year classes with a total average attendance of 101 were held at five places. There is abundant evidence as to the benefits to farmers arising out of the instruction given. The enhanced prices obtained for wool classed by students attending the classes have been very encouraging, and afford a striking example of the value of the instruction. The hope is expressed in connection with the hitherto generally unsuccessful efforts of controlling authorities to provide suitable courses of instruction for farmers that the latter will ere long discover that instruction bearing on primary industries other than wool is equally worth while. It is useless for controllingauthorities to attempt to provide such instruction unless they can rely on the sympathetic and continued support of the farming community. The number of free pupils admitted during the year to technical schools was 2,207, an increase of about two hundred. About 24 per cent, of these students held senior free places, as against 19 per cent, in 1908. Some particulars are given below. Males. Females. Totals. Junior free pupils ... ... ... ... ... 871 812 1,683 Senior free pupils ... ... ... ... ... 336 188 524 Totals... ... ... ... 1,207 1,000 2,207 „.„„„, . T „„,„„„,:„„ Number of Free Pupils Courses of instruction. IOOR 1909 Science and technology ... ... ... ... 516 649 I'ure and applied art ... ... ... ... ... 137 152 Domestic economy ... ... ... ... ... 277 319 Agriculture ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 21 Commercial instruction ... ... • ... ... 1,063 1,066 Totals ... ... ... 2,000 2,207 Capitation on account of free places amounted, for 1909, to £6,401 Is. (id., being at the rate of about £2 18s. per free place. As predicted last year, there has been a gratifying increase in the proportion of free pupils taking courses other than commercial courses. Last year about 55 per cent, of the free pupils attended commercial courses, this year the percentage is 48. Day technical schools —that is to say. schools providing day courses of not less than twenty