70

V.— s.

The sheep-shearing class has not been very successful this year, owing to the unsettled state of the weather; young fellows did not care to join, being afraid of being delayed for want of dry sheep, and having to bear the expense of waiting. The advantage was with tin- few who did join, these having a good course with plenty of practice. A new class was started in blackboard and other drawing subjects for teachers, with a roll of eight; this should prove a popular class, saving, as it does, a tedious weekly journey to Christchurch. Physical culture, with a roll of sixteen, has been enthusiastically carried on. The course of instruction, based at it is on deep breathing, will prove a lasting benefit to the members of the class. If we can induce every student to join this class we shall have accomplished something to be pr I of. All attempt made to recommence the plumbing class met with very poor support.'which is the more regrettable in the face of the fact that, in the near future, a water-carriage drainage system is likely to be carried out ill Ashburton. This will mean that local plumbers win. have not qualified for registration will have to face the importation of outside labour. The woodwork class was also revived for apprentices in the woodworking trades; very few took advantage of it. It may not be generally known here that, in the recent award for carpenters and joiners in the Canterbury District, apprentices who have secured a two-years certificate in any technical college ill the industrial district are entitled In 2s. per week above the award rates. 1 should like to see this principle carried out in other trades, as it goes to show thai the value of technical instruction is realized by those who are in the best position to appraise its value. One cannot urge too strongly all who have the power especially parents and employers, to co-operate with educational bodies so that the greatest amount of good may be obtained from the facilities offered, and prevent the great waste of manhood and womanhood that will assuredly take place if boys and girls do not take advantage of the time immediately after their school oareers to extend their knowledge alonggeneral and particular lines, so as to become efficient workers in their own sphere of life and good citizens, ready and able to bear intelligently their part in the affairs of State. The Managers' thanks are due to the contributing bodies for their generous financial and other support —the Ashburton County and Borough Councils, High School Board, Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association, Borough and Ilampstead School Committees, Canterbury Sheepowners' Union, and private subscribers; above all to the Minister of Education and the Government for the generous response to our application for an additional grant; lastly, to that admirable body of workers for their strenuous efforts at our recent bazaar, and to the general public who so loyally seconded those efforts by freely buying the goods for sale. This will enable the Managers to complete the buildings and fittings and extend flic work of the school. A. Moore, Director. Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1912, in respect of Associated Classes conducted at the Ashburton Technical School. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. dBalance at beginning of year .. .. 178 2 1 Salaries of instructors .. .. .. 623 18 10 Capitation on classes .. .. .. 87 15 8 Office expenses (including salaries, stationCapitation on account of free places .. 34 0 0 cry, &c.) .. .. .. .. 74 19 11 Buildings .. .. .. .. 2,132 0 0 Advertising and printing .. 21 12 0 Rent .. .. .. .. .. 50 5 0 Lighting and heating .. .. 42 19 4 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 229 14 6 Insurance and repairs .. .. .. 38 2 1 Material .. .. .. .. 15 3 6 Rent .. .. .. .. .. 53 3 0 Subsidies on voluntary contributions .. 156 10 10 ; Examinations, &c. .. .. .. 111 0 Pees .. .. .. .. .. 274 12 10 ! Material for class use .. .. .. 136 13 0 Voluntary contributions .. .. .. 178 2 0 Caretaker .. .. .. .. 47 16 0 Prom controlling authority, on acoount of Cookery books .. .. .. .. 33 1 3 school olasses .. .. .. .. 163 11 6 Bazaar .. .. .. .. 22 14 8 From High School Board, on account of Sundries .. .. 37 17 6 school olasses .. .. .. 83 10 0 l Bank charges .. .. .. .. 17 15 10 Bazaar receipts .. .. .. 254 8 5 Contracts (new buildings, additions, &c.) .. 2,596 12 6 Sales of cookery books and material .. 18 4 7 Architect, &c. .. .. .. .. 88 11 0 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 11 210 Furniture, fittings, and apparatus .. 359 19 1 Surrender of High School lease .. .. 150 0 0 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 180 3 3 £4,197 7 0 " £4,1ti7 7 0 Henry Davis, Chairman i , .. t m. „. .. d i ol managers. A. Moore, Secretary | ° Extract from the Report of the Director of nit. Kaiapoi Technical School. During the year classes have been held in the following subjects; Wood-carving, millinery, cookery, woodwork, art, and dressmaking; and the attendance, though not equal to what the importance of the subjects demands, has been comparatively satisfactory. It is to be regretted that no support was given to the proposed classes in wool -classing. cookery (evening), bookkeeping, and English. The numbers attending were as follows : Carving, 7, !); art, 9, II; woodwork, 11. 15, I 5 ; dressmaking. Hi. 33, 32; school cookery classes, 55; school woodwork classes, 57. It is satisfactory to be able to report that a promising start was made with an art class for black and white, oils, and stencilling, and that twenty-five pupils from Woodend commenced attendance at the school cooker] and woodwork classes. The Education Board showed its practical sympathy with country-school class work by donating £5 towards conveyance, and this amount, together with fees and increased capitation, resulted in the class giving a credit balance of i2\ Ids. (id. Next year the principle of bringing in country children could be extended si. as to bring in Belfast, Clarkvillc. and Ohoka pupils; it certainly is worth a trial. Last year's contributing bodies have again kindly responded this year, and I ant pleased to report that the Kaiapoi Working-men's Club, with Mr. Crick as representative, has joined the association.