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E.—2

(1) " Wanganui Centre : During the season 1927-28, 359 merit certificates (880 yards), 368 proficiency (220-880 yards), and 550 learners —a total of 1,277 —were distributed among forty-one schools, as compared with 785 awarded in the previous season to nineteen schools. Five schools gained the special certificates issued when over 51 per cent, of the school roll gain certificates. The increase in the numbers was due largely to the interest taken by country-school teachers. The local branch of the Royal Life-saving Society made the following awards : Diploma, 2 ; award of merit, 20 ; honorary instructors, 25 ; teacher's, 68 ; bronze medallion, 71 ; proficiency, 167 ; elementary, 196 ; primary schools, 14—a total of 563. Many local schools issue their own learner's certificates to those children who are able to swim across the baths. These greatly encourage the learning of swimming. (2) " Manawatu Centre : The season 1927-28 has been an exceptionally good one, owing mainly to the continued warm weather during the summer months and to the fact that summer time gave the children additional opportunities of being in the water. In all schools with swimming facilities learners have received special attention. The certificates issued were as follows : Learners', 424 ; proficiency, 247 ; merit, 237 —a total of 908 from twenty-two schools. The local branch of the Royal Life-saving Society made the following awards to the primary schools : Elementary certificates, 56 ; proficiency certificates, 5 ; bronze medallion, 3 ; honorary teacher's certificate, 11; award of merit, 1 —a total of 76 certificates. The thanks of the community are due to the teachers and the societies with which they have co-operated for the splendid progress in swimming that ha.s been the result of their interest and enthusiasm."—(Wanganui.) With the object of effecting further improvement in the work of physical education it is proposed to increase the facilities for instruction of students in physical education in the training colleges, to continue the training of specialists, to afford the staff of physical instructors an opportunity of receiving further instruction in underlying principles, to provide instruction for teachers at refresher courses or summer schools, and to increase the time to be devoted each day to this work in the primary schools. The Inspectors' reports indicate an increased interest in this work, and the attainment of a verv satisfactory state of efficiency. " The ordinary Swedish drill is nearly always well done, but in some schools this phase of school activity is at times neglected in favour of other subjects, and on very slight pretexts. It is rare, indeed, to meet a teacher who has a ' wet day ' drill programme. Only regular and systematic instruction will produce the maximum benefit. Folk-dancing is becoming popular, and is a delightful part of the physical training. At present an effort is being made to improve the posture of the children. Bad posture may be, and is, induced by causes outside the school. But one cause within the school is the amount of desk-work taken. When it is remembered that the primary child spends four hours a day for five days a week for eight years of its life seated in a desk, as often as not unsuitable, ill effects are not altogether to be wondered at. The subject is sufficiently important to warrant special investigation." —(Auckland.) Drawing and Handwork.—" Drawing is distinctly better, and in a fair number of schools excellent work is done. Light and shade work is making substantial progress. In colour work some fine sketches in pastel are produced. There has been a tendency in some schools to drop paints in favour of crayons ; but whereas such a policy is probably wise up to Standard 111 and Standard IV, it is only through the exercise of very considerable skill that worthy crayon work can be produced after this stage. The ordinary crayon does not admit of a sufficiently high degree of artistry after Standard \ r is reached. Here paints or good pastels are necessary. The weakness at this stage lies in the failure to demand a sufficiently high standard of execution. Skill in perspective work or sketching is extending, some very creditable work in light and shade being done. There is also evident a wider treatment of this subject; a greater variety of types is essayed. In all but a few schools, however, all the pupils are kept to the one type of drawing. In the city schools especially there should be more opportunities for the pupils to pursue their own particular bent. Thus, in a large class, some could work in pencil, others in pastel, and others in paint or ink. Some might prefer nature work and others the perspective of fashioned objects within or without the schoolroom. In one school some very interesting block printing has been done. We are glad to notice in geometrical drawing the increasing use of flat tinting, and the immediate application of such geometrical problems to design in colour." —(Hawke's Bay.) " We are pleased to note improvement on the whole, though there are not wanting classes and schools where little appears to have been achieved. The neglect of colour work previously reported is now disappearing. The value of this class of work is being more widely recognized, with a corresponding increase in its practice in the schools. We are somewhat troubled about the use of drawing as a means of expression as distinct from the graphic representation of given objects. There seem to be two extremes in this work—one where almost nothing is done : the other where almost nothing else is done, many of the exercises being of a rather burlesque character. The suggestions contained in the Drawing Appendix to the new Syllabus should help teachers to overcome weaknesses in this subject."—(Otago.) Handwork : " Good work is still being done by pupils who attend classes at manual-training centres. There is much variation, however, and no little indefiniteness in a great deal of the work presented by pupils above Standard TI other than those mentioned above. We have stressed two points in this connection. In the first place, we have required that there should be a definite progressive course of work of a constructive and creative character ; in the second place, we have tried to impress teachers with the value of handwork as a means of instruction." —(Otago.) Special Classes. —There are now in operation twenty-six special classes for children who are unable to make satisfactory progress in the subjects of the primary-school curriculum. An additional supervisor has been appointed, and with her assistance the work of surveying the field and establishing classes is proceeding in a satisfactory manner. The teachers engaged in special-class work have received special training for the work, and, without exception, are capable and enthusiastic. The