E—s

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The most suitable building is a wool-shed in the different districts, if at all possible, and tables should not be less than 9 ft. long and 4 ft. wide, with 1 in. battens across ; this is the most suitable table. There should also be smaller tables for sorting, 9 ft. by 3 ft., with 1 in. battens. You cannot have too much wool, and for a class of fifteen to twenty students you do not want less than one bale (about sixty fleeces) of all grades —Lincoln, Leicester, Romney. Corriedale, Merino, and so on. The more wool the better. The advantages of instruction in wool-classing are these : (1.) If the owner sends his wool to market properly got up, he will get a much better price than the man who just puts it in anyhow ; for instance, if the wool is classed into the right quality and condition, the wool-buyer can get the wool he wants, and can give his extreme limit for the line. (2.) The buyers that want the fleece wool perhaps do not want the fribs pieces that are in the fleece ; so if the farmer skirts and rolls nicely, both the buyer who wants the skirted fleece wool and the buyer who wants the bellies and pieces arc satisfied. (3.) if the farmer just puts his wool in the bale as it comes from the shearing-board, and sends it away like that, then the buyer cannot get to know the right value of the wool, and perhaps does not trouble to value it at all, but leaves it to some speculator to buy, who classes it and makes a handsome profit as the result of the farmer's carelessness. (4.) If the farmer classes carefully and on right lines, he will at t rait American competitors, who can outbid the world in competition for wool in spite of the fact that the enormous duty of s|d. to 6d. per pound has to be paid on imported wool. (5.) If he puts his wool into reasonable size, he will get more competition for it, and that means a better price. (6.) I might say in conclusion that any farmers or wool-growers who classed their wool as taught in the classes reaped handsome returns last season. Statement of Receipts and Expenditure fur the Year ending 3\si December, 1909. in respect of Special Classes conducted In/ the Wanganui Education Board at the following cadres .- Apiti. Ashhurst. Alton, Hull's. Bunnythorpe, Eltham, Feilding, Halcombe, Hawera, Hunterville, HurleyviUe, Kaponga, Fimbolton, Kapuni. Kakaramea, Manaia, Mangatoki, Mangaweka, Matapu, Marian. Okaiawa, Patea, Pahamjinu.lt aia. Rongotea, Taihape; teachers' classes. Turakina, Utiku, Waverley, Waitotara, Wanganui. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Capitation on special classes .. .. 2,417 7 5 Balance at beginning of year .. .. 4,007 5 7 Capital ion on account of free places .. 354 6 8 Salaries of instructors .. .. .. 4,108 17 'J Buildings .. .. .. .. 1,950 10 0 Office expenses (including salaries, btaRent .. .. .. .. .. 61 18 0 tionery, Ac.) .. .. .. .. 120 11 5 Furniture, Citings, and apparatus .. 325 12 9 Advertising and printing .. .. 155 5 y Material .. .. .. •.. 73 5 10 Lighting, heating, and cleaning .. .. 269 9 6 Subsidies on voluntary contributions .. 961 4 8 Insurance and repairs .. .. .. 87 16 4 Training of teachers .. .. .. 400 0 0 Rent .. .. .. .. .. 83 7 6 Fees .. .. .. .. .. 1,897 811 Examinations, &c. .. .. .. 5 0 0 Voluntary contributions .. .. 559 0 8 Material for class use .. .. .. 215 11 9 Material solil .. .. .. .. 40 6 8 Fees refunded .. .. .. .. 113 Contributions towards cost of lighting, &c. 6 13 8 Library and prizes .. .. .. 17 19 4 Hire of apparatus .. .. .. 15 0 Instructors'travelling-expenses .. .. 227 16 0 Insurance .. .. .. .. 165 0 0 Teachers' classes .. .. .. 174 _ _ Sundry receipts .. .. .. 6 2 0 Telephone .. .. .. .. 15 11 8 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 4,023 0 3 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 517 0 Contracis (new buildings, additions, &c.) .. 2,357 17 8 .Architect, &c. .. .. .. .. 162 9 0 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 1,226 16 6 818.2-3 2 (i £13,243 2 6 W. .1. CARSON, Secretary. Extract from the Report of tiif. Director of the Palmerston North Technioal School. During the past year great progress has been made in the matter of technical education in Palmerston North. Not only have the classes increased in number, but it is with great pleasure that we have to report the possession and occupancy of a fine new school, which, to quote the words of the Hon. Mr. Fowlds, Minister of Education. " was one of the best-designed for technical-school purposes in the Dominion." The building was opened in September by the Minister, who concluded his speech by expressing the hope that the school had before it many years of helpful work, and that it would prosper and flourish as time went on. A representative gathering was present at the opening ceremony, including Mr. G. Hogben Inspector-General of Schools, who also congratulated the Palmerston people on their line school emphasizing the fact " that technical education gave people a proper understanding of their work in fact, gave dignity to labour." The work done by the Chairman and his colleagues on the Board in all matters relating to the new building is so well known that no comment is necessary. The classes moved into the new school the day after the official opening. The furnishing is now almost completed, and by the time the classes commence in 1910 it is expected that all the fittings apparatus, &c, will be in place and ready for the students. An effort has been made this year to bring the various classes under or into courses suitable in the trade or profession that a boy or girl wishes to enter. Commercial, domestic, carpentry, mechanical engineering, painting and decorating, and plumbing courses, among others, are contemplated. The free-place students show an increase in number from fourteen to folly, and. I am also pleased to report, show a much higher percentage of attendances than in previous years. The number of classes for the year totalled forty-two. with an average roll-number of fourteen in each. The average weekly roll for the year was 560, as against 120 in 1908—a considerable increase.