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not give the services of one master to teach two boys drawing, I was compelled to withdraw this subject and the two boys joined the Book-keeping class. Of the four who took up Mensuration only two returned after the Mid-summer holidays, and another change was necessary. As I considered Mensuration of more practical use than Trigonometry, I discontinued the latter, and a class for Men- suration was held during the afternoon on the same day that that for Trigonometry had been held. Thus Book-keeping only was taught during the morning, and that to the whole class.

5. It was stated last year that gymnastic appliances would, in the course of the year, be erected in the covered play-ground to give the boys an opportunity of developing their physique. There is however I think a certain amount of danger attached to the use of gymnastic appliances without the supervision of an instructor, and so those appliances have not been put up. I hope however that some kind of drill will be instituted this year which will be of greater benefit to the whole school than gymnastic appliances which I fear would be but very little used by the Chinese.

6. A slight change has been made in the staff during the year. Mr. HASELDEN resigned and Mr. G. A. WOODCOCK was appointed to fill the vacancy. In April last, the Head Master, Mr. WRIGHT, went home on leave to take a well-earned holiday; and in June Mr. JAMESON also had leave of absence; and thus we have been working with a reduced staff of European Masters for half the year.

7. With reference to the Pupil Teachers, two of the three have, since June, been acting as Chinese Assistant Masters, and so have not been able to attend any class of instruction-save that on school management-yet one of them, LEUNG LAN-FAN, has passed the Oxford Local, and obtained the title of Associate in Arts.

As the Monitors are not articled, they are frequently leaving for more lucrative employment, and thus there are constant changes in the Normal class, which make good results in an examination an impossibility, and further, as Mr. JONES who has had charge of this class has pointed out to me, these changes make the teaching a thankless task.

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8. This year nine pupils went in for the Senior Oxford Local, of whom three passed. Two being under the age of 19 years were declared Associates in Arts, and the other one gained his certificate.

9. The following are the results of Examinations just held. There were 692 boys examined of whom 619 passed, which gives a percentage of 89.45, and though this is lower than in previous years, yet considering that many promotions were made after the Mid-summer Vacation to allow new boys to enter, and as thus very many boys had only six months to get up their work in, I consider the results on the whole satisfactory. To particularise, the work done in classes IA, IIB, IIIA, and the Preparatory School in general, deserves special mention; while that of IB, and IIIB is far below the

average.

10. Of the boys who have left during the past year, 3 have entered the Colonial Service, 11 the Chinese Imperial Customs' Service, 38 have obtained employment in the various firms and private offices in the Colony, and 25 have gone, under Foreign employ, to the Coast Ports. A good many boys have left school without assigning any reason, but from what I can gather the two chief causes seem to be inability to pay the fees, and change of residence. Unless a boy is leaving to go into some office, for which he requires a certificate, it is a very difficult matter to get from the Chinese the actual cause of a boy's leaving.

11. In conclusion I must take up the strain of Mr. WRIGHT's last year's Report and express the gratitude of the Masters and the boys, to all who have so generously provided prizes for the encourage- ment of our scholars.

The Honourable F. FLEMING, C.M.G.,

I have the honour to be,

Sir,

Colonial Secretary, &c., §c., &c.

Your most Obedient Servant,

ALFRED J. MAY,

Acting Head Master.