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Extract from the Report of the Controlling Authorities of the Rangiora Technical School. The past year has been a successful one both in respect to the work done and the attendance. The manual classes have been attended by pupils from the following public schools, —viz. : Rangiora, Southbrook, Swannanoa, Fernside, Loburn, Ashley, Sefton, and Waikuku. Arrangements were made for a teacher to accompany pupils coming in by train,' and this has proved very satisfactory. Certain classes are attended by pupils of the High School. There lias been no change in the teaching stall, whose work continues to give general satisfaction. The subjects taught were woodwork, cookery, and dress-cutting. A. conference of teachers of the public schools sending pupils to the manual classes was convened to meet the Chairman and Director. The conference proved very helpful, and is likely to become an annual fixture. Robert Ball, Chairman. Extract from the Report of the Chairman of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College. School of Engineering. —Though many of the students of 1915 enlisted as soon as they were able to do so, and thus the numbers for 1916 promised to be low, yet actually a slight increase took place, due, as the Professor in Charge explains, to a large number of students of a mature age attending as extra-mural students, owing probably to their desiring to have a fuller technical knowledge and. thus qualify for more responsible positions. In all ninety-eight students have enlisted, and while many of those who were able to proceed Home obtained commissions in the technical branches of the services, nearly all if not all who offered their services in the Dominion were accepted for' the: infantry, and only a few were chosen for technical work. As there is a. corps of specialists in training at. the camps in the North, one would expect that a larger number of those whose training \vas of a. technical kind would be selected for such a corps. Owing to the continuance of the war and the consequent commandeering of the manufacturers' plants at Home for the purpose of providing munitions, the additions to the machinery that have been sanctioned by the Board have not yet been installed in the school. School of Art. —This institution has suffered, though comparatively slightly, in the matter of attendance owing to many of the eligible students leaving the Dominion for the front; this, of course, is marked by the decrease in the evening students. Though the attendance has fallen, the standard of work is kept up to the previous high standard, judging both by the success attained by many of the students and the reports on the work that was shown at the Art Gallery and at the annual exhibition of work. The classes for apprentices in painting and decorating which were in course of being established at the end of last year are now in full swing, and there is every indication that this section of the school's work will prove of very great advantage to those who attend, as by the final award tllat was made it is compulsory for these apprentices to attend a certain number of hours per week, a portion of the hours allotted for attendance being in the daytime. The Master Painters' Association has given its earnest support to the scheme, and some of the firms have, by donations of material, enabled the Board to equip the classes very fully. The ultimate results of undertaking these special classes will not be fully seen for a year or two, but the result must be that of turning out students more fully appreciative of the value of artistic work in decoration. The structural alterations that were made in the school itself have proved of great convenience to both the members of the staff and the students, enabling the work to be carried on with greater comfort, as no inconvenience is now experienced from the overcrowding of the class-rooms. The work in connection with the classes in architecture has been carried on with considerable success, and many students who have taken the diploma course have been admitted as associates hy the New Zealand. Institute of Architects. It is pleasing to note in the report of the Director that in the art competitions held in the larger centres in the Dominion most of the principal prizes were secured by students from this school, showing that year by year the school keeps its position as one of the leading art schools. Such a position is due to the earnest endeavours and enthusiasm of the Director and his staff, and also to the support given by many of our citizens, who give substantial prizes to be competed for each year, and thus help to encourage the study of art in our midst. When the state of the Dominion becomes more settled it is to be hoped that the Board will be able successfully to approach the Government with a proposal that at least one travelling scholarship a year should be awarded to the best student in the Dominion to enable such a one to continue study in Europe. Such a scholarship would undoubtedly encourage many students to put forward their best efforts to secure the prize, and would result in raising the standard of work throughout New Zealand. The School account shows to better advantage than in the previous year, the receipts, which amounted to £3,083, exceeding the expenditure by £402. The revenue was, however, swelled by the receipt of capitation earned during 1915 and outstanding at the end of the financial year. Students' fees realized £467, as compared with £438 in the previous year. £1,297 was expended during the year in alterations and improvements to the school buildings. Extract from the Report of the Professor in Charge, School of Engineering. During the year a considerable addition has been made to the number of students at the war, ten matriculated and fourteen extra-mural students having volunteered and been accepted for active service. The number of students who have left the school to proceed to the front is now ninety-eight. Despite the great drain occasioned by the war, the number of students attending at the
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