E.—s

Training of Teachers in Subjects of Manual and Technical Instruction, Special classes for teachers in the service of the Board were conducted as in the previous year. The subjects taught included art, cookery, dressmaking, handwork, hygiene, physiology, and woodwork. All of these classes were held at the Auckland Technical College, and' were attended by 20* teachers. Classes in cookery and woodwork, attended by thirty-two teachers, were also conducted at the Thames and Whangarei Manual-training Schools. The teachers in training at the Auckland Training College attended special courses of instruction in art, cookery, handwork, and woodwork at the Technical College. Special courses of instruction in nature-study and elementary agriculture were given during the early months of the year a 1 Auckland, Paparoa. and Tauranga by the Board's Instructor, Mr. Vincenl W. Jackson, B.A. These courses wen- attended by fifty teachers, of whom thirtysix received certificates of proficiency. Unfortunately, the Hoard lost Mr. Jackson's services in April, when he returned to Canada, having completed his three-years engagement with the Board. During the three years that Mr. Jackson was in the Auckland District he conducted special courses for teachers at Auckland (4), Hamilton. Cambridge, Whangarei, llikurangi. Onehunga, Papakura. Pukekohe, Paeroa, Te Aroha. Aoroa, Te Kopuru, Dargaville, Te Awamutu, Tauranga. and Paparoa. At these centres no less than 382 teachers attended, and of these, 277 obtained certificates of proficiency. 1 wish here to record my deep appreciation of the excellent work done by Mr. Jackson during the three years he was on my staff. I very much regret the loss of his services, and feel sure that he will be a very difficult man to replace. Continuation and Technical Classes in Country Centres. Technical and continuation classes were conducted during the year at Thames. Whangarei, Waihi. Otahuhu. Hamilton. Cambridge, and Te Aroha. Thrones : These classes were held as usual at the Manual-training and Kaueranga Public Schools. The subjects taughl embraced the following: Commercial arithmetic, commercial correspondence, commercial geography, book-keeping, shorthand, typewriting, millinery, dressmaking, cookery, plumbing. Hade drawing, practical geometry, machine construction and drawing, carpentry and joinery. The number of individual students enrolled was 108, the number of class entries being 272. At the examinations held in December, 94 papers were worked and 52 passes obtained. The Local Superintendent. Mr. W. 11. I. Marsden, who had been an indefatigable worker since these classes were initialed in 1904. resigned his position in July. Whangarei : The following classes were conducted at Whangarei during the year: Commercial arithmetic, commercial correspondence. English, book-keeping, shortband, drawing, brush drawing, carpentry and joinery, woodwork, and cookery. The number of individual students in attendance was 65, the number of class entries being 122. There were 53 entries for the December examination, and 40 successes recorded. Waihi : Pending the erection of a Manualtraining and Technical School for Waihi. classes were conducted in a rented building and at the District High School. The Local Superintendent, Mr. S. H. Mack v. was most enthusiastic in his endeavours to promote technical education at Waihi. and the following classes were conducted : Commercial arithmetic, commercial correspondence, English, shorthand, book-keeping, dressmaking, trade drawing, and woodwork. The number of individual students enrolled was 51, the number of class entries being I 10. Thirty-eight students sat for the annual examinations in December, and 21 were successful in passing. Otahuhu : The Manual-training School at Otahuhu having been opened during the year, a commencement was made with evening classes, dressmaking and woodwork being the subjects taken. The former was a most successful class, 19 students being in attendance, and some excellent work was done under the instructor, Miss Hilda Atkin. The woodwork class was not well patronized, only 5 students attending. Hamilton : Classes in dressmaking and millinery were held in Hamilton during the year by the itinerant instructors, Miss Bessie Campbell and Miss Grace Probert. A plumbing class was also conducted by Mr. E. A. Tisch. The number of students in attendance at the various classes was as follows : Dressmaking, Hi ; millinery, 5 : plumbing. 11. Cambridge: Classes in dressmaking were conducted at this centre by Miss Bessie Campbell. 30 students being in attendance. Te Aroha : A millinery class was held here under Miss Grace Probert. but the attendance was very unsatisfactory. only 5 students being enrolled. Auckland Technical College. Dug Classes. —There was an increased attendance at the day technical classes for boys and girls who have passed through the primary school. During the four years that these classes have been in existence there has been an increasing public appreciation of them, as is shown by the increased attendance. The classes were inaugurated in L 906, when there were 80 students in attendance. In 1907 this increased to 133, lo 18(1 in 1908, and last year the number was 218. Woodwork Class jar the Blind . A special woodwork class for the boys of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind was held at the College as in the previous year. This class, which was attended by 12 students, is much appreciated by the Principal of the Jubilee Institute, as the work is correlated with other work done at the Institute, such as piano-repairing, &c. Wool-classing for Farmers : A course of instruction in wool-classing for farmers was held in Auckland for the fortnight following the holding of the Winter Show. Although the number in attendance (8) was small, some excellent work was done under the instructor, Mr. W. Mullon, wool-classer to Messrs. Murgatroyd Bros. Evening Classes. —During the year evening classes were carried on as before in temporary buildings, of which there were seven viz., the Rutland Street building (an old boot and shoe factory) : the Lome Street building (an old furniture-factory) ; the carpenters' shop, St. Paul's Street (a galvanized-iron shed) ; the machine-shop and plumbers' shop, Wellesley Street (a galvanized-iron shed) ; the Newton Manual-training School. Upper Queen Street ; the Normal School. Wellesley Street (a primary school) ;

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