8.—5

A matter that has already been brought under the notice of the Board is that of a separate domestic-science and woodwork school for the primary-school pupils of Napier. At present by an arrangement with the Technical Classes Association the Board's classes are instructed by the staff of the Technical School. As I have already pointed out to the Board, two possibilities have to be taken into account in considering this question — (a) an increase of pupils at the Technical School, and (b) an increase in the number of classes (primary) requiring instruction in these subjects. An increase of pupils at the Technical School lessens the accommodation for the Board's classes, whilst it must be quite evident that there is a limit to the number of outside classes that the school.can accommodate. Hence the need for immediate action. If a site could be obtained from the Harbour Board or Borough Council in the vicinity of the Tramway Depot an up-to-date domestic-science laboratory and demonstration room and manual-training room could be erected which would be in a position easily reached by all the pupils attending the Napier schools. Failing a site in this locality I would respectfully suggest that the building be erected in the grounds of the new Napier West School. Primary School Glasses: Agriculture and Dairy Science. —The number of classes recognized for 1913 was eighty-three. Of these, fifty-four schools had classes in elementary agriculture, twenty-seven schools a combined course of instruction in agriculture and dairy science, and two classes in dairy science. The yearly average attendance of pupils receiving instruction in these subjects was 1,475. In addition to the above, fifteen schools carried out a course of gardening, but were not recognized under the Manual and Technical Regulations. During the past five years over eighty-nine schools have been fully equipped with tools for school-gardening and with sufficient scientific apparatus for elementary experiments. Dairy apparatus has been supplied to thirty-six schools. I am pleased to say that most of the teachers lay particular stress on the care of implements, and as a consequence the majority of the tools are in excellent condition. The list below shows the number of implements at the end of the year, and the approximate value, allowing for depreciation; in compiling this list only tools in first-class condition have been included: Spades, 800; forks, 500; rakes, 472; Dutch hoes, 820; draw-hoes, 80; handforks, 860; hand-trowels, 901; wheelbarrows, 20; water-cans, 300; milk-testers, &c, 36. Value, £430. In addition to the above equipment sixty schools have been supplied with sufficient chemical apparatus to carry on simple experiments. The value of this apparatus is not included in the £430. A few schools (unfortunately only a few) have provided apparatus to aid in science-teaching. Most of this apparatus is due entirely to the efforts of the teachers. To my mind home-made apparatus is just as effective as elaborate scientific apparatus, and it certainly has the advantage of being more easily manipulated. Otane and Makuri Schools are easily to the fore in this matter. The majority of the schools are doing satisfactory work Those schools mentioned in my reports of the past two years as being good schools still maintain their position in this branch of school-work. As indicated in my last annual report, a certain portion of the time devoted to practical work should be utilized in improving the general appearance of the school-grounds. Lawns should be laid down flanking the main entrance to the school, and plantations of native shrubs should fill spare corners, &c. These two latter recommendations —(1) lawn and (2) shrub plantations —are matters that should be brought under the notice of School Committees for Arbor Day celebrations. Woodwork. —Classes in woodwork were held at Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, Waipawa, Dannevirke, and Woodville. At these centres fifteen schools (represented by twenty-nine classes) received instruction; included amongst these are two Cathofic (technical), two high-school (Gisborne), and three district-high-school classes, leaving twenty-two primary classes. With respect to the work of these classes, the best work was produced at Gisborne centre; the drawings were very good, and the exercises and models a credit to the pupils and the instructor. In the Cential and Southern Wards the work was not up to the standard of the previous year. The instructors evidently failed to impress upon the pupils the need for accuracy, and with inaccurate and careless drawings the completed exercises and models possessed certain bad features —usually lack of finish. The woodwork-rooms are, as far as possible, being slowly improved. Woodville and Hastings have been lined and ceiled during the year, and I respectfully recommend that the Board apply to the Department for a grant to enable them (the Board) to complete the same work at Waipawa. Domestic-science Glasses. —These are held at the same centres as the woodwork classes —Twentyone primary-school classes, three district-high-school classes, two high-school classes, and two Catholic classes. Ihe syllabus of instruction (as would be expected) is more difficult and elaborate for secondary than for primary classes. The primary course includes household accounts, elementary home science, cookery, and dressmaking. Each pupil has an hour's practical work in cookery for twenty weeks, and two hours' practical work in dressmaking for twenty weeks. The average attendance (primary classes) was: Cookery, 399; dressmaking, 383; roll, 403. Mrs. F. Cross, domestic-science mistress, Southern and Central Wards, resigned her position in April, and Miss Violet Hyde was appointed to the vacant position. During the year the Waipawa District High School girls entertained the Board members and the members of the Technical and School Committees at dinner. The dinner, which was a four-course one, was prepared and served by the girls under the direction of Miss Hyde. With the appointment of Miss Hyde a forward movement has been made in the method of t: eating the subject of dressmaking in the Central and Southern Wards, and Hastings, Waipawa, Dannevirke, and Woodville centres are now producing work equal to Napier and Gisborne. Handwork Glassies. —There has been an increase in the number of schools taking different branches of handwork compared with last year. The total number of schools earning the departmental grant for handwork was eighty-four, with a yearly average attendance of 7,920 pupils. All. the material used in connexion with these classes is supplied to the schools by the Board. During this year the Board ordered for the use of these classes 7,200 brush-drawing books,

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