15

E.—s.

ledge, and the use of them deprives the student of the intellectual part of his training and hinders the development of the observational and imaginative faculties. One of the most important aims of art-instruction should be the development of accurate and independent observation, and it is pleasing to report that a great deal more attention is being given to this aspect of the student's training. Another noticeable feature is the increased attention given to design composition and imaginative drawing and the consequent development of the student's inventive powers. In the higher branches of pure art, especially in drawing and painting from life, excellent work is in progress, and the results of the National Competitions conducted by the English Board of Education appear to show that the work of New Zealand students compares not unfavourably with that of students in English schools, many of whom work under conditions denied to students in this country- Increasing attention is being given to the study of various branches of applied art, and there are indications that in the near future adequate facilities will be provided for instruction in this important branch of an work at all the chief centres. It is pleasing to record that classes in modelling, hitherto attended mostly by art students, are now attracting the attention of plasterers and others to whom a knowledge of the plastic art must be of service. Some improvements have been effected in the methods of instruction in wood-carving and metal-work, though much remains to be done before the instruction can be regarded as thoroughly satisfactory. Ueviewing the work of the art classes as a whole, it may be said that substantial progress has been made during the last few years. That this progress is making itself felt may be gathered from the public utterances of the president of one of the principal art societies in New Zealand, who stated that the students' work exhibited was the best that his society had ever received from tlaart schools. Building Trades. —Classes in building construction and drawing, architecture, &c, have been satisfactorily carried on at the large technical schools, but a decrease in the number of students in attendance is noted. This may be due to the exigencies of trade and other conditions, but it> is a matter for regret that the apprentices in the various branches of the building trades as a whole fail to realize the importance of acquiring an adequate knowledge of the principles underlying their work, or to avail themselves of the opportunities provided for studying the higher branches of their trade. This fact is emphasized by the absence of apprentices at classes, ami has been repeatedly brought under the notice of directors in connexion with the appointment of instructors in subjects relating to the building trades. It has been stated as an explanation of the falling-off in the attendance of young mechanics at technical classes that many of them prefer to take one of the courses offered by the correspondence schools. These courses may he helpful to a certain extent to students who are debarred for various reasons from attendance at a class, but the sound common-sense of the average workman in this country must, it is felt, lead him to recognize that it is impossible to master satisfactorily such subjects as building-con-struction and architecture by means of correspondence classes, and that nothing can fully and effectively take the place of personal instruction. On the whole the work of the classes under review is satisfactory. Drawing, which has hitherto had an emphasis laid upon it out of all proportion to its importance, is beginning to take its proper place in the course of instruction, more attention being rightly given to principles. Mathematics and applied mechanics are nowincluded in the course in most schools. That the increasing use of steel for building purposes calls for a widening of the range of instruction by the inclusion of the study of principles and constructional details in connexion therewith is also being realized. Attention has been drawn in previous reports to the value to the workman and workshop foremen of freehand sketching. The excellence of the free sketches of buildings and building details made in some of the classes shows that the ability to make an intelligent sketch is becoming more general. It is to be regretted that the use of flat copies still survives in some of the classes. These may have their place in elementary work as guides in the setting-out of drawings, but with the admirable series of models of building details now available it should not be necessary to ask a student who has passed the elementary stages to draw from Hat copies. It is hoped that schools that are at present inadequately equipped in the way 01 suitable models will take the necessary steps to remedy this defect. Classes for carpentry and joinery, especially in the larger centres, are conducted for the most part on satisfactory lines, and although the number of students in attendance is not as large as might be expected, the character of most of the work done must react favourably on the students' ordinary workshop practice. Classes at the smaller centres are, as hitherto, attended mostly by amateurs, and it is gratifying to report that there are indications of improved methods of instruction. In some of the classes students are encouraged to make sketches and to prepare full-sized working drawings of the work in hand. The cabinet-making classes are well attended, mostly by young workmen, and some excellent specimens of work have been turned out at some of the schools. The design, it is true, more often than not follows well-known stock lines, but the value of the work is not thereby minimized in view of the thoroughness and accuracy with which every detail is carried out. In this connexion it may l>c remarked that making detailed drawings, either full size or to scale, from illustrations of furniture in trade catalogues cannot be accepted as instruction in the principles of cabinetmaking. Such illustrations may serve a useful purpose, ami, for students in elementary classes, may serve as first drawing copies, from which a quantity survey of the materials required can hi' made; but it is considered that the use of conies should Ik- limited to this and the instruction in the theory of furniture design proceed on