63

H.—2

Detaiis.—Departmental Contingencies: Legal expenses, £3 35.; printing, £77 ss. 6d.; advertising, £72 Bs. 5d.; stationery, £41 13s. 3d.; miscellaneous, £153 lis.; expenses'of election of Committees, £27 Bs. 6d.: total as above, £375 12s. Bd. Teachers' Salaries, &c.: Ordinary salaries, &c, £8,947 6s. 3d.; travelling expenses of teachers from other colonies, £170 155.; aided schools, £390 : total as above, £9,508 Is. 3d. School Buildings : New schools, £6,955 15s. Bd.; clearing, fencing, &c, £1,271 16s. Id.; furniture, £854 15s. 7d.; rents of buildings and sites, £110 12s. 6d. : total as above, £9,192 19s. lOd. Total of general statement as above, £25,131 19s. lOd. ; Public Libraries Account, £211 4s. : total of Board's audited general statement, £25,343 3s. lOd.

Statement of Assets and Liabilities on Building Account, 31st December, 1878.

Statement of Assets and Liabilities on General Account, 31st December, 1878.

OTAGO. Sir, — Education Office, Dunedin. In accordance with the provisions of " The Education Act, 1877," the Board of the Education District of Otago has the honor to submit its report for the year 1878. Constitution op District and Board. —By the Act of 1577 the Provincial District of Otago was divided into the two separate Education Districts of Otago and Southland ; but, as the Southland Board did not enter upon its duties till the lst of May, 1878, the schools of the Southland District continued under the control of the Otago Board during the first four months of the year. The Governor, by Order in Council, having postponed the date first fixed for tho election of the Board, it was not until the month of February that the nominations by School Committees of persons qualified to become members of the Education Board were received. Sixty-nine persons in all were nominated, and the 10th day of April was fixed for the final election, which resulted in the appointment of the following gentlemen: Messrs. James Green, C. A. de Lautour, Horace Bastings, John Shand, Donald Reid, James Fulton, Henry Clarke, Michael Fraer, and AVilliam Elder. The members of the previous Board continued to act until the appointment of their successors, whose first meeting was held on the 9th day of May, when Mr. Donald Reid was unanimously chosen Chairman. At its first meeting, the Board, with the object of facilitating its business, appointed two Committees from among its members—one to advise the Board with reference to all financial matters, and the other to advise regarding the appointment and promotion of teachers. There have been held during the year twenty-three regular meetings of the Board, ten meetings of the Finance Committee, and seven meetings of the. Appointments Committee. The only change that took place in the constitution of the Board during the year was the retirement of Mr. De Lautour, and the election and appointment of Mr. A. C. Begg in his stead. It was determined by ballot, on the 19th of December, that Messrs. Reid, Green, and Fraer should be the retiring members for 1879. Number of Schools. —At the close of the year 1877 there were 173 schools in operation under the Board, employing, on the 31st December, 356 teachers'—viz., 188 schoolmasters, 61 schoolmistresses, 19 teachers of sewing, 26 male pupil-teachers, and. 62 female pupil-teachers. Of the above number of schools, 43, employing 66 teachers —viz., 42 schoolmasters, 6 schoolmistresses, 7 teachers of sewing, 2 male pupil-teachers, and 9 female pupil-teachers—were, early in the year, handed over to tho Board of the Education District of Southland, leaving under control of this Board 130 schools, 146 schoolmasters, 55 schoolmistresses, 12 teachers of sewing, 24 male pupil-teachers, and 53 female pujiil-teachers. New schools have been established and opened during the year at Dunback, Crookston, Pukeiviti, and INevis. The number of schools in operation at the end of the year was 134. Iv these 134 schools 334 teachers were employed —viz., 161 schoolmasters, 72 schoolmistresses, 8 teachers of sewing, 32 male pupil-teachers, and 61 female pupil-teachers. This shows an increase of 44 teachers during the year. The large increase in the number of teachers, as compared with the number of additional schools, is due to the increased attendance at the schools in nearly every part of tho district. In addition to the schools which have been opened during the year, the Board has sanctioned the establishment of schools at Waikoikoi, Circle Hill, Bendigo, Eweburn, Duntroon, Waipahi, and Bald Hill Flat. The new buildings at Swift Creek, Tuapeka AVest, Waipahi, Goodwood, and Duntroon are almost corns

Assets. £ s. d. Liabilities. £ s. d. lalance ... ... ... ... 2,667 13 5 Debit balance, 31st December, 1878 ... 1,996 12 3 Liabilities on buildings ... ... ... 671 1 2 £2,667 13 5 £2,667 13 5 I certify that thc above is a correct statement of thc assets and liabilities of the Education Board of the District of Vestland on Building Account. Edward Pattex, Auditor.

Assets. £ s. d. lalance ... ... ... ... 2,940 7 7 Liabilities. £ s. d. Debit balance, December 31st, 1878 ... 1,219 10 8 School material ... ... ... 539 12 7 Capitation allowance for Committees for December quarter ... ... ... 206 15 1 Balance of teachers'salaries for 1878 ... 135 5 8 Payments for results for 1878 ... ... 472 9 0 Payments for instructing pupil-teachers for 1878 ... ... ... ... 213 0 0 Sundry accounts ... ... ... 153 14 7 £2,910 7 7 £2,940 7 7 I certify that the above is a correct statement of the as: Vestland on the General Account. lets and liabilities of the Education Board of the District of Edwabd Patten, Auditor.