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owing no doubt to the war. Excellent work has been done. The wool class has done excellent work, and the examiner was greatly pleased with the six who presented themselves for examination, all passing in the first class. There is no doubt that this is one of the best classes of its kind in the Dominion. The class in physical science continues to do good work, and this subject will have to have more attention paid to it, as there can be no doubt that science will play an important part in the development of the country. The classes established for the Public Service Senior and Matriculation Examinations did work which would compare favourably with any other such classes. An additional class was started, and was especially well attended. It should prove one of the best in the school when properly established. The two classes in electricity did good work. The senior class was not well attended owing to a large demand from outside for electricians. This, while in a way regrettable, shows that the pupils of the school were largely in demand. The junior class made rapid advance, and was a credit to the school. The attendance was somewhat interfered with owing to the war. Many of the students had to work overtime, and so could not attend regularly. There are pupils who lack the perseverance and application that is necessary for them to get to the top of the tree. Some people seem to think that their boys and girls must be clever to achieve success, but my experience teaches me to believe that perseverance and reliability are the most important factors for the success of any boy or girl. It is to be regretted that owing to the war the Upper Hutt classes had to be discontinued. Eighty pupils attended the classes at Lower Hutt during the year. The English, arithmetic, and shorthand classes had the highest roll numbers, while book-keeping proved much less popular than during the previous year. A trial was made in continuing the shorthand class during the 1915-16 summer vacation, but this was not a success. For two terms the class was held on. two nights a week. The class for dressmaking and millinery was carried on for two terms with a satisfactory number of pupils, and the effort to cater for candidates for the public examinations met' with encouraging support. The classes are conducted with the minimum of expense, as the school buildings are rent-free. The result is that financially the branch is in a sound position. Jas. H. Lynskey, Director. Extract from the Report of the Managers of the Masterton Technical School. The year's course of instruction was commenced in March, and was continued throughout three terms. An epidemic of infantile paralysis in Masterton necessitated the closing of the school for three weeks during the first term. The total number of individual students in attendance during the year was 337 —137 males and 200 females. The total roll number of the classes was 557, while the percentage of average attendance for the year was 832. As most of the classes were conducted in the evening, this percentage must be considered very satisfactory, being the highest recorded by the school. The war was no doubt responsible for the small roll numbers in the men's classes, which show a falling-off of twenty-nine from the previous year's attendance. Of the ninety-two free-place pupils who were admitted during the year, thirty-seven were males and fifty-five females; sixtyeight were holders of junior free places, and nineteen of senior free places, while four returned soldiers were admitted under Government regulations. The return of ages shows that between the ages of thirteen and seventeen years there were 124 students, while 213 were over seventeen years of age. Early in the year the Managers invited tenders for the erection of a cookery-room and laundry, consisting of a washhouse and ironing and drying room. The tenders greatly exceeding the architect's estimate, the original scheme had to be modified. A cookery-room was erected at a cost of £560 14s. The day and evening students showed by their very regular attendance and keen interest that they appreciated the course of instruction in cookery given during the second and third terms. At the request of the Wellington Education Board the Managers were able also to give instruction in cookery to thirty-eight pupils of Standards V and VI of the Lansdowne School. In addition classes were held in the following subjects, the roll numbers being shown in brackets : English and arithmetic (60), book-keeping (61), general knowledge (30), industrial and commercial history (43), elocution (16), magnetism and electricity (10), typewriting and Gregg's shorthand (120), typewriting and Pitman's shorthand (46), theory of building and machine construction (7), woodwork (19), wood-classing (II), plumbing (9), dressmaking (57), art needlework (17), and art- (30). All the classes for which enrolment was invited were conducted with the exception of the class in agricultural chemistry, for which only three students enrolled. The Managers again direct the attention of farmers and all interested in agricultural pursuits to the facilities offered for receiving technical instruction from an. agricultural expert. To meet the convenience of country students it has been decided to include in future English and arithmetic and book-keeping in the time-table of day classes, as well as in the evening time-table, as at present. It will then be possible for students living at a distance to attend the Technical School for a complete commercial, a home-science, or an arts course, and reach home daily by the late afternoon train from Masterton. It will bo noted that there has been a substantial increase in the number of attendances at classes in subjects relating to commercial pursuits, thus indicating that the school is providing a course of instruction which suitably equips students to take up office-work. The book-keeping, typewriting, and shorthand classes are very popular. Three students sat in 1916 for Pitman's shorthand certificates, and the result of the examination is being awaited from England. The students of plumbing acquitted themselves well in their examinations. One, who was too young to be permitted to sit for the practical test, sat for the theory paper of the registration examination conducted by the Plumbers' Board of New Zealand and for the second grade of the City and Guilds of London Institute. He passed both