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Mathematics.-Arithmetic.-Mental arithmetic, to which I drew attention in my last re- port, has very greatly improved. The work of the lower Forms is very good. In written work the upper Forms also did well. Geometry. The proofs of propositions in Euclid I to III are very well known. But there is still a noticeable lack of practical work; the use of set squares, protractors and compasses would obviate many difficulties which students experi- ence in the fundamental problems in Euclid. Algebra. The results are not so good; and Form VI are weak throughout. No boy really understood the meaning of the 'root' of an equation. In Form VI and VII Graphis were taken; but the teaching has hardly followed right lines. Students gain a more intelligent understanding of the subject when they have dealt first with easy examples like the graphing of observations on changes of temperature, etc. To begin with graphs by means of functions, is beyond the average boy. The squared paper work was poor, no axes of reference were drawn, and the units of measurement were so badly chosen that the curve was much too small, and useless for reference.

Book-keeping. Satisfactory on the whole. As usual in this subject, ordinary business terms are not properly understood.

Shorthand. The subject is well taught; but as the knowledge attained in 2 years is purely theoretic, I much doubt whether the time is well spent on it.

Latin. This subject has been begun in the year under review. I have hopes that it may be studied to good purpose, if taught in a practical way. I have given the school authorities my ideas as to how this should be done, and shall watch the experiment with great interest.

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And I

Hygiene. The teaching of the subject is entrusted to a master who is well qualified to undertake it. The lessons have been illustrated suitably by simple experiments. At the competitive examination, the second place fell to one of the students. In the Team com- petition on the Elementary Course, the School took a poor place, 7th out of ten. believe that this may have been partly due to the prevailing inability to compose in English. Thus when a boy wrote on the question as to the uses of cooking food "When the person who eat the food is raw", and continued in this strain he naturally got few marks. Never- theless he probably could have given a reasonable reply in his own language. The teain received over 55 per cent. of marks, which is in itself not at all bad.

Chinese.-Reading.-Fair. Composition. Fair.

General.-In spite of the foregoing criticisms the work and management of the School cannot be considered other than very efficient. This is the second year that it has been so reported.

*No. 9.-St. Mary's.

Discipline and Organization.~This School was put upon the Annual Grant List in 1904, and has not yet earned a Grant. The discipline is not very good, the girls not having been trained to answer audibly wher questioned. It is better in the lower Standards and Infant Class. The conclusion I came to was that the school has not at present enough advance scholars to justify the continuation of Standards VI and VII.

Sanitation.-Very satisfactory.

Apparatus.—Satisfactory.

English.-Composition and Grammar are bad, and the work shewn up at examination is very untidy.

Geography.-As judged by the oral part of the examination, the facts taught seem to have been well selected; but a large proportion of Standard IV were absolutely mute. An interesting reader should be used. Gill's Geography is not suited to the purpose. "Standard II, which was generally strong, had a very good kuowledge of local geography.

History. Here again there was evidence that the subject had been carefully taught. But the written work done by the higher Standards was bad. Standard IV examined orally also failed badly.