E.-4

curtailed. The students of the Training College have attended for three hours each week for training in freehand, model drawing, geometry, brushwork, and modelling. In addition to this, the Director has visited the College and devoted an hour each Friday afternoon to the delivery of lectures, demonstration lessons, schemes of drawing for the standards, brushwork, &c, and supervised the teaching of drawing in the Model School. With the kindly co-operation of such experts in education as Professor White and such able enthusiasts as Mr. Binder and his staff, these earnest efforts should bear fruit in the years to come, throughout the schools controlled by the Education Board of Otago. In connection with the science, and art examinations of the Board of Education, South Kensington, nine first-class and seventeen second-class certificates were obtained. I wish to thank the members of the staff for their constant attention to duty and their zeal in the interests of the school. The staff now numbers eleven, all of whom devote their best efforts to the progress of the, students. No resignations have been received during the year. To the principal of 'lie Training College and his stall' 1 express appreciation of their invariable kindness and sympathetic assistance in the work undertaken at that important institution. In conclusion I must thank the Education Board for the very careful consideration invariably given to any recommendation I have made. R. Hawcridge, Director. Statement of Receipts uiul Expenditure fur the Year ending 3\st December. 19(19. in res peel of Special Classes conducted by the Otago Education Board. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. <1. Capitation on special olasses .. .. 810 7 0 Balance at beginning of year .. .. 706 6 :l Capitation on account of free places .. 28 -i (i Salaries of instructors .. .. .. 867 711 Training of teachers .. .. .. 300 0 0 Office expenses (including salaries, stationery, Fees .. .. .. .. 246 17 0 &o.) .. .. .. .. .. 30 0 0 Balanoe at end of year .. .. .. 1,732 13 10 Advertising and printing.. .. .. 64 14 9 Lighting and heating .. .. .. 38 19 5 Repairs and renovations .. .. .. 599 0 0 Material for class use .. .. .. 32 2 2 Janitor, School of Art 35 6 0 Furniture, fittings, and appai atus .. 165 15 0 Adjustment, training of teaohers, balance.. 78 10 4 £2,618 1 10 £2,618 1 10 P. G. Pryde, Secretary. Extract from the Report of the Managers of the Dunedin Technical Classes Association. The Minister of Education having decided the number of representatives to be elected by each of the associated bodies, the Board of Management was at the beginning of the year constituted as follows : Hon. T. Fergus, Rev. P. B. Fraser, M.A., and Messrs. P. Goyen, G. C. Israel, J. Mitchell, W. Scott, representing the Otago Education Board ; Mr. T. Scott, Councillor J. B. Shacklock, and His Worship the Mayor (J. H. Walker), the Dunedin City Council; Messrs. A. Burt, A. Sligo, and G. M. Thomson, M.P., the subscribers to the Technical Classes Association. At the first meeting Mr. Thomson was re-elected Chairman, and Mr. Sligo Hon. Treasurer. Early in the year Mr. Fergus resigned, and the vacancy thus caused was filled by the appointment of Mr. D. T. Fleming, of Balclutha. Towards the end of the year education lost a staunch friend and energetic worker by the death of our late treasurer, Mr. A. Sligo. The Board of Management have inserted in their records a special minute expressive of his untiring aid to education (1) as a member of the Caledonian Society, (2) as a School Committee man, and (3) as one of the Managers of this school. The Director's report deals in detail with the work of the classes. It should, as he points out. be noted that the decrease in enrolment was due almost entirely to the falling-away in the number of applications for free places, and this for the most part was owing to the fact that at the Dunedin centre fewer pupils than formerly succeeded in gaining the qualifying proficiency certificate. Excepting for this numerical decrease, the attendance, punctuality, and general work of the students was extremely satisfactory. During the past year the afternoon classes were extended so as to afford complete preparatory courses in technical, commercial, and domestic branches respectively. It is a regrettable fact that a course so important as the first-mentioned did not meet with sufficient support to justify its continuance for the year. On the other hand, both of the other branches drew more students than could be conveniently taught in the various classes. Special attention is now being given to provision for these three courses, and, by a simplification of the classes, an extension of the time, and the appointment of a special day staff, it is hoped to greatly increase their efficiency during the year we are entering upon. Early in the year the building for the mechanical engineering department was completed, and the workshop equipped by well-selected up-to-date machinery, the Government grant being considerably augmented by the Board of Management's own funds. The attendance at the practical classes more than justified the provision made for this workshop practice in mechanical engineering, and the first year's experience convinced the Managers of the necessity of supplementing the machinery equipment, and also of the urgency of making provision for an efficient pattern-making shop. Application was therefore made for a grant-in-aid, the Managers undertaking that the Technical Board would contribute a proportionate part of the cost. The amount was at once promised, and the additional machinery has been ordered, and may be expected in the course of a few months. Then, with our special provision for practical mathematics, applied mechanics and steam, mechanical drawing and machineconstruction, pattern-making and workshop practice, our engineering course will be practically complete. This, it should be added, is largely due to the Government's favourable consideration of oui various applications for grants in aid of the work.

11— E. 5.

77