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was successful in inaugurating promising classes in plumbing, wool-sorting, wood-carving, cookery, cabinetmaking, millinery and dressmaking. From a roll number of over a hundred the attendance dwindled to practically nil. The Board's Director (Mr. Loten) expresses the opinion that "before an evening technical school will be a success in Hastings it will be necessary for the School Committees at Hastings, Mahora North and South to ask the Board to put into force the regulations governing compulsory attendance of all young people under seventeen years of age." The science (rural) course was introduced into the Hastings, Waipawa, and Woodville District High Schools in 1910. The object of the course was to give pupils a scientific training, with a bias, if possible, towards agriculture. Ihe first portion of the object has undoubtedly been attained, for the pupils receive a thorough training in scientific methods. The course is spread over two years. At the end of the year the numbers of pupils taking the course were as follows : Hastings, 39; Waipawa, 35; Woodville, 16: total, 90. Agriculture and dairy science are now taken by all district-high-school pupils for the Public Service Entrance Examination, and agriculture for Matriculation. The excellent results achieved by the pupils at these examinations is proof of the good work being done. The Director in his annual report gives much interesting information regarding the work of these classes. The new secondary and technical buildings at Woodville have been completed and brought into use. The buildings are most conveniently arranged, and the laboratory, kitchen, workshop, and class-room are well equipped and greatly appreciated. The increased attendance at the science classes at Waipawa necessitated the enlargement of the laboratory in that school. With the assistance of the Department this has been carried out. The local Technical Association, which takes an interest in the technical work of the school, subsidized a grant for the purchase of a set of very high-grade meteorological instruments, which were elected under the direction of the Rev. Mr. Bates, the Government Meteorologist, to whom the pupils' readings of the various instruments are regularly submitted. Teachers' Saturday training classes were held during the year in Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, Dannevirke, and Woodville. The subjects taken were drawing, elementary science, agriculture, and agricultural bacteriology. The total number of students enrolled in these classes was 182, the average attendance being 128. In addition to the above the Board arranged with the Technical authorities at Napier and Gisborne for classes in elementary hygiene. Ihirty-eight teachers attended these classes. Instruction in the practical work of agriculture, dairying, hygiene, and drawing was given to these teachers at a winter-school course held at Hastings in June. As a result of these classes an increased number of teachers entered for the teachers' D examination. The Board is making every possible effort to afford its teachers the best facilities for improving themselves on the right lines, but the grant available was insufficient to cover the cost of what was done last year, and there still remains a very great deal to be undertaken if it be found possible to increase the available funds. Extract fhom the Report of the Inspectors of Schools. Handwork is fully reported on by Mr. Loten. We have to commend the earnestness, intelligence, and success which mark his efforts to recover adequate educational values from labour directed in the various ways indicated by the numerous subjects grouped under this name. The teachers respond to these efforts with pleasing results, especially in science—agriculture, dairying, meteorology, chemistry, physical measurements, and home science; quite a number of teachers treat these subjects in practical ways, which both in matter and in method give a splendid return for the time spent on them. It is a side of our endeavour that we hope to see extended and developed till the school becomes a real organ set apart for training our youth, not only in a narrow personal culture, but also in the ideals and with the equipment for practical social service. Our school products are of value in proportion as they bring the pupils into harmony with the social environment into which they will shortly be launched, and provide them with the knowledge and faculty for taking immediate part in its activities and development. The district high schools have their programmes of the first two years based on the rural course; thereafter matriculation, generally with a rural bias, becomes their aim. In both courses excellent work is being done, and the classes have been carried on with conspicuous success. The standard compares favourably with that of secondary schools. The total average number of students in attendance at the three schools was 106, of whom ninety were taking the rural course. An increase is expected during 1914. Extract from the Refort of the Director of Manual and Technical Instruction. Before dealing with the usual detailed work in connexion with classes I think reference should be made to what appears to me would be an important forward movement in the development of technical education in Hawke's Bay— i.e., an extension of the Board's powers in the direction of placing under the Board's control all technical education. Such an innovation would necessitate the establishment of a technical department, and the reorganization which must follow would, apart from its educational advantages, tend to more efficient and economical control. Another matter worthy of the serious consideration of the Board is the necessity of providing immediately the means of greater facilities in technical education in Gisborne. At the present time Gisborne and suburbs must have a population of between eleven thousand and twelve thousand. It is a rapidly growing town and the outlet for an extensive and rich back country, and to my miud its importance demands the establishment of a day technical school. The present technical buildings, which belong to the High School Board, should be taken over by the Education Board, and with slight structural alterations, when removed to a site (preferably near the railway-station), could be utilized for this purpose.