E.—s

61

NORTH CANTERBURY. Extract from the Report of the Education Board. Manual and Technical Instruction. —ln addition to the work carried on at the Christchurch centres, where a large number of pupils have received instruction in woodwork, cookery, and laundry-work, handwork classes have been continued in 88 of the Board's schools. At 16 schools classes in swimming and life-saving have been held. School classes have also been conducted at Akaroa, Amberley, Ashburton, Kaiapoi, Lyttelton, and Rangiora. A general estimate of the progress made in technical instruction may be formed from a perusal of the annual reports sent in from the several centres. The Board's evening classes in subjects of the public-school syllabus for Standards V and VI have been continued at the Christchurch Technical College. In elementary agriculture, which includes naturestudy and practical instruction in connection with school gardens, a notable advance has been made, recognized classes having been held at 51 schools. During the year, recognizing the great importance of this subject, the Board agreed to appoint a Chief Instructor in Agriculture and an Assistant Instructor, the former to be under engagement for two days each week to the Board of Managers of the Christchurch Technical Classes, who will pay proportion of salary. Mr. T. G. Malcolm,!a teacher of wide experience, has been appointed to the first-named position, and his duties will be to direct the training of agriculture in the primary schools, and to conduct theoretical and practical classes for students and teachers. The appointment of Mr. J. Moodie as Assistant Instructor will insure more frequent visits to the country schools, and enable the instructors to give teachers personal assistance aud advice in the establishment and maintenance of school gardens. Extract from the Report on Special Classes at Kaiapoi. During the year classes have been held in Kaiapoi for the following subjects : Dressmaking, millinery, wood-carving (chip and relief), woodwork, and cookery. The class for dressmaking has been extremely popular, but is handicapped by the unsuitable room in which it has been conducted. The class for woodwork was very poorly attended during the first term, but during the second the membership increased splendidly. The class for wood-carving was also well attended, but millinery and cookery did not appeal to the public this season. The Kaiapoi Technical Committee made a new departure by conducting a dressmaking class in Belfast. It was fairly well received, and promises to be well attended during the coming season. As this class has been a success, we are considering the advisability of extending our classes to the other surrounding districts, where suitable accommodation and support can be obtained ; but the classes in Kaiapoi are greatly handicapped by the scattered condition of the accommodation, which in some cases is unsuitable. Extract from the Report on Special Classes at Leeston and Doyleston. The woodwork class, which was held at Leeston on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., commenced work at the beginning of March and ended in November. The attendance was very good right through the whole period, and a good deal of useful work was done. The cookery class at Doyleston, under Miss Rennie, which was commenced about the same time, was also well attended, and much interest was taken in the work by the pupils. Extract from the Report on Special Classes at Lincoln. Woodwork Class. —The year's work has been on the whole very successful. The attendance has been fairly good, and the pupils have made satisfactory progress. As usual, a few boys stand out prominently, their aptitude and industry being shown in some highly creditable work. The lining of the workshop by the pupils is well under way, and will be finished early in the new year. All the appliances are in good repair. Cookery Class. —This class has again been working up to its full strength, and the regular attendance and earnestness of the pupils have insured a successful year's work. All the girls in the secondary department, and as many in the primary classes as could be accommodated, have attended. Extract from the Report on Special Classes at Amberley. With the exception of woodwork, the enrolment and attendance has been most satisfactory, the interest of last year being fully sustained. The school classes are much appreciated by parents and pupils. One student gained first-class in cookery at the examination of the City and Guilds of London Institute, and other candidates are forthcoming this year. Prizes were won in each department of work at the local show, most of them keenly contested. The roll-numbers for the year were—dressmaking, 75 ; cookery, 57 ; woodwork and carving, 23.