n8 



PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS. 



scholars on examination in certain specific subjects, 

 amongst which are chemistry, botany, principles of agri- 

 culture and horticulture, and also for instruction to girls in 

 dairy work and to boys in cottage gardening. The first four 

 subjects are also alternative courses in elementary science 

 taught as a class subject, but no more than two subjects may 

 he taken by any class. With regard to the grant for cottage 

 gardening, it is remarked that this is the practical or experi- 

 mental side of agriculture or horticulture in small holdings* 

 and may be taken with either of those subjects. There are 

 two ways of setting boys to work at gardening. They may 

 either cultivate a plot in common, or each boy may be 

 provided with a plot of his own. The main object of a 

 school-garden is not to put boys as apprentices in the 

 gardener's craft, but to enable the lessons in elementary 

 science which are given in the schoolroom to be illustrated 

 by practical work in the garden-beds. 



-Local Government Board for Scotland. — Second Annual Report 

 for 1895-6. [C. — 8219.] Price is. $d. 



The greater part of this volume is devoted to the statistics 

 of pauperism and the administration of public health in 

 Scotland. As regards poor law finance, the revenue of the 

 various parish councils during the year ending May 15th, 

 1 1896, amounted to 1,020,389/., of which 784,250/. (or 77 per 

 ^ent.) was derived from rates, and 187,837/. (18 per cent.) from 

 local taxation contributions and Treasury grants in lieu of 

 .rates. The amount expended upon the actual relief and 

 maintenance of the poor was 742,163/., while medical relief 

 accounted for a farther 50,696/. ; the total expenditure in 

 connection with the poor (not defrayed out of loans) being 

 ^037,931/. 



Technical Education Return, H.C. 357. Price is. 6d. 



According to this Return the total amount spent on technical 

 'education by local authorities during the year 1894-5 in 

 England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland was 737,809/. 55-. 4^., 

 a.nd the estimated total expenditure on technical education 



