AUCKLAND EDUCATION BOARD

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11536, 19 March 1903, Page 5

AUCKLAND EDUCATION BOARD

(PKESS ASSOCIATION TELEGEA-I.J AUCKLAND, March 18. The annual report of the Auckland Board of Education" was presented and adopted at tlie Board's meeting this morning. The re- ! port stated that at the end of the year there were 414 schools in operation, including 76 taught half time. FiA-e schools Avere closed owing to the withdrawal of population, ond fiftetn new schools Avere opened. The number of teachers employed at tho end cf tho year ■was' 815. The effect of the colonial scale had been to reduce the number of pupjl-teachcrra by 75, and to increase tlie number of assistant teachers by 58. 'through the introduction of the scale- the Board had already been compelled to giA*e notice to 18 teachers of the termination of their engagaments, but nine of that number had been re-engaged in other positions. The roll number of scholars at the end of 1802 was 28,584, an increaso of les3 than 200 on the previous year. The School Attendance Act of 1901 had tended to reduce truancy, but a grave defect existed in regard to granting certificates of exemption. At the beginning of the year the Board entered upon a new scheme of financial operations consequent upon the passing of the Public School Teachers Salaries Act. Receipts from all sources amounted to £122,857, and the total expenditure Avas £119,481. The total income on buildings fund account was £11,830, and tlie expenditure on buildings amounted to £13,062. Claims Avhich had so frequently been urged to a larger share of the grants A-oted by Parliament for building pur]K)'ses had btMii partly met by the a Locution of grants from the special \ote for extending school accommodation. In order to meet requirements, of increased population, several urgent claims of this nature Avere still under the consideration of the Government.