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ably considered applications for new buildings or additions, and for necessary equipment for technical instruction. New or additional buildings have been erected or are in course of erection at Woodville, Nelson, Christchurch, Kaiapoi, and Ashburton, .while necessary equipment has been provided for technical classes at Auckland (the School of Mines), Wanganui, Palmerston North, Napier, Nelson, Christchurch (the Technical College and the Schools of Engineering and Art, Canterbury College) and Dunedin (the Technical School). During the year grants, totalling £11,495, were distributed to controlling authorities in aid of buildings and equipment for technical classes. There are now about fifty well-equipped buildings available for the accommodation and instruction of technical classes. As in previous years, classes in the smaller and more remote centres where buildings specially adapted for the purpose have not yet been provided have been carried on in the local schools or in suitable rented buildings. Thus, in the Wanganui district classes were held at twenty-three such centres, in the Hawke's Bay district at ten, in the Taranaki and North Canterbury districts at nine, and in the Wellington and Southland districts at seven. These classes are for the most part conducted by itinerant instructors. Following are some particulars regarding technical classes (including day technical schools) in operation during the year : — The number of places at which recognized classes were held 1910. 1911. was .. .. .. .. .. .. 115 130 The number of day technical schools was . . . . . . 8 8 The number of other classes was .. .. .. ... 1,828 1,467 The number of individual students at day technical schools was 1,216 1,341 The number of individual students attending other classes was 13,252 13,632 The status of the classes was as follows:—

Note. —It will be noticed that the number of centres is greater than the number of places at which classes were held. This is accounted for by the fact that in the larger towns there are two or more schools providing technical instruction. Note.—Prior to 1911 what are now known as "day technical schools" were treated as aggregations of classes, whereas they are now regarded as organized schools. This will explain the apparent decrease in the number of classes in operation in 1911. " Special " classes — i.e., classes conducted by an Education Board or by the governing body of a secondary school—continue to be the most numerous and the most widely distributed. Most of the classes in the smaller places come under this heading. " Associated " classes, or classes conducted by managers representing bodies contributing to the funds of the classes, were held at twenty-seven centres, as against twenty-three in 1910. In only a few cases does a technical classes association conduct classes at more than one centre. " College " classes or classes controlled by a University college have remained practically stationary. Day technical schools, providing courses of instruction occupying not less than twenty hours a week, were in operation during the year in connection with the technical schools at Auckland (317 pupils), Wanganui (90 pupils), Wellington (268 pupils), Napier (83 pupils), Nelson (10 pupils), Westport (14 pupils), Christchurch (349 pupils), and Dunedin (210 pupils). These schools, which provide fairly full courses in science and technology, domestic economy, agriculture, and commercial instruction, continue to be well attended, and appear to attract a number of young people who-

Status. Number of Centres. Number of Day Number of Technical Schools, other Classes. Number of Students. ' Special " classes .. : ' Associated " classes " College " classes .. 112 27 3 4 837 4 472 158 837 472 158 7,777 6,547 649 7,777 6,547 649 Totals 142 8 1,467 14,973