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are in need of painting. The cost of fencing and painting also will no doubt have to be borne by the Board ; and it might be advisable with regard to the latter to give the Inspectors power to authorize the Chairman of the Committee to have the work done by tender. The District High Schools. —In consequence of my time being largely occupied in the course of the year by extraneous duties, I have been unable to overtake much of my usual work, and, in particular, three of the district high schools were not examined-—viz., the Oamaru District High School, the Milton District High School, and the Port Chalmers District High School. I managed, however, to visit the Lawrence District High School, which had not been examined the previous year, owing to the prevalence of scarlet fever in the district. The school was found to be in a very efficient condition, though the extra work was not advanced. The following statement shows the extra work gone over, and the quality of the answers at the examination : —

Latin. —The work was almost too elementary for examination. The translation was excellent, and the accidence good. A senior pupil who had read the Fifth and Sixth Books of Caesar's Gallic War left the school shortly before tho examination. French, —The papers of the senior class were accurate, and showed a good acquaintance with the subject. Tito others were above fair. Geometry. —This subject was well known. Algebra. —Tho questions set were most accurately answered. A more advanced pupil left shortly before tho examination. English. —The paper on this subject was very fairly answered. Board's Rules and Instructions to Teachers.—The operation of the rules adopted by the Board has been carefully observed by me during the year, aud I desire here to call attention to some matters in which alterations are needful, or would at least be advantageous. According to present arrangements schools having an average attendance below 25 are subsidized at the rate of £4 ss. for every child in average attendance, and not entirely supported by the Heard. AVith the remarkable increase in the average attendance which the past year witnessed, aud the consequent corresponding increase of income, I think that all schools having an average attendance of 20 or more might be supported wholly by the Beard. This extension of the free schools would not cause any serious increase of expenditure, as the number having an average attendance between 20 and 25 is tint at all great. lam of opinion also that a more liberal teaching staff should be allowed for schools having attendances between 40 and, say, 200; and further, that instruction in needlework should be provided wherever there is an average attendance of, sty, 15 girls. If tho Board could afford to make these alterations, the provisions for education in tho district would be much more complete, and the staff as liberal as could be expected under a free Im: not costless system of education. AVith regard to the instructions to teachers, I cannot say that they are so generally or so carefully carried out as I could desire. The maps and other appliances are in many cases very carelessly looked after, and instances have occurred where I have fouud it necessary to set an examplo of repairing them somewhat. Reading-cards and ball-frames, particularly, get rapidly destroyed, and have to be replaced in many eases with excessive frequency. There is usually considerable indifference about keeping and taking care of the school records. It appears impossible to make some teachers understand that an unlimited number of copies of the Education Act, the Board's rules, the Instructions to Teachers, the Scholarship Regulations, &c, &c, cannot be supplied to schools, and that the copies of these documents forwarded to them are not meant for themselves personally, but for the teacher of the school as such for the time being. It is almost unusual to find a teacher leave a position without taking most and sometimes all of the school records with him, leaving his successor to work in the dark and wait for the Inspector's next visit for an order for these necessary documents. It is really too bad that there should be so much trouble and annoyance about this simple matter, and that thoughtlessness and carelessness should so prevail in connection with it. In a large number of schools no concern is shown about the books of the pupils, and the recommendation that their being covered should be insisted ou is frequently neglected. Upon School Committees devolves the duty of effecting small repairs in connection with school-buildings, and a sum of money is placed in their hands for that purpose. In Dunedin and a good many other districts such matters are most promptly attended to. In many cases, however, I have noticed great and unnecessary delays in effecting repairs, to the grievous annoyance and discomfort of teachers and pupils, and sometimes to the permanent injury of the schoolbuildings. At my surprise visit to Evansdale School, I fouud that neither the door of the porch nor that of tbe school could be closed, owing to the breaking of the locks. Forms had to be barricaded against the door ; but every now and then the wind would force back these obstacles, and fill the room with a whirlwind of dust aud sand. This had gone on for several weeks before my visit, although the teacher had more than once brought the matter under the notice of the Committee. I added my remonstrance to the teacher's, and I hope the matter was at length attended to. In other cases, broken windows are allowed to remain unrepaired for weeks, causing no end of colds and discomfort. Stoves aro generally removed from the schools during the summer season. Iv one or two cases the

Subject. Class. Pupils Examined. Work done. Latin ... French ... jreometry Algebra English I. I. II. I. II. I. I. | " 5 8 4 1 5 12 2 Principia Latina, Part I. to page 63. Ahn, Part I., 120 Exercises. Aim, Part II. to Exercise 60. j Euclid. Book I. Euclid, Book I., Props. 1 to 20. Todhunter's Algebra i'or Beginners, to page 54. The Merchant of Venice, and part of Eichard II., i: Nelson's Shakespeare Header.