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Sess. 11.—1879. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATIONAL RESERVES (RETURN OF).

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency. Resolution of the Legislative Council, dated 29th day of October, 1878. Resolved, " That, in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that the subject of the educational reserves throughout the colony should be brought under the consideration of Parliament. "That the Ministers of Lands and Education should cause a report to be laid before Parliament, early next session, setting forth the following information: The position, extent, and estimated capital value of the reserves in each education district; their classification, as nearly as may be, into town, suburban, agricultural, and pastoral land ; the nature, term, and present income from existing leases, or other occupancy ; the governing bodies in which the lands are now vested respectively ; the probable income to be derived from renewed tenancy or occupation at expiry of existing terms ; and the method which it would be most expedient to adopt for the permanent management and disposal of the reserves." — (Hon. Sir F. Billon Sell.) CIRCULAKS to COMJIISSIONEES of CeOWN LakDS. Silt, — General Crown Lands Department, Wellington, 18th February, 1870. I have the honor, by direction of the Minister of Lands, to forward the subjoined copy of a resolution of the Legislative Council with reference to a report on the education reserves throughout the colony, and to request you to be good enough to furnish, with the least possible delay, the required information respecting the education reserves within your district. I send you herewith a supply of schedule forms, which will enable you to furnish the required information in a systematic manner. In entering the reserves in the schedule, you will be good enough to classify them separately, as follows :— 1. Reserves held by School Commissioners for primary education, as per the Arbitrators' awards under "The Education Reserves Act, 1877," published in the New Zealand Gazette No. 55,12th June, 1878 ; No. GB, 11th July, 1878 ; and No. 126, 16th December, 1878. 2. Reserves similarly held by School Commissioners for secondary education, exclusive of those secondary education reserves subsequently vested in other governing bodies by Act of Assembly for particular institutions. 3. Reserves held by School Commissioners under sections 19 and 20 of <: The Education Reserves Act, 1877," and any lands proposed to be set apart under the said sections, distinguishing separately those for primary and for secondary education. 4. Reserves held by the governing bodies of colleges, high schools, and other educational institutions by virtue of any Act of the General Assembly, or Act or Ordinance of a Provincial Council. 5. Reserves, other than the preceding, made at any time for educational purposes, and held in trust by ecclesiastical or other bodies, or by individuals. 6. Reserves made by Act of Assembly, or Ordinance or Act of a Provincial Council, or otherwise, for a New Zealand University, and reserves made for or held by the Otago University Council. 7. Reserves made for sites of school buildings, teachers' residences, playgrounds, gardens, glebes, &c, for particular schools. 8. Reserves (if any) made for educational purposes which cannot properly be included in any of the preceding classes. Subject to the above classification, the reserves held by each governing body or trust should be placed together, and under each class the different kinds of land specified in the resolution should be placed together —viz., (1) town land ; (2) suburban land ; (3) agricultural land; and (4) pastoral land. "With a view to obtain accurate information respecting the "Particulars of Lease or Occupation," it is recommended that you cause to be entered in the schedules, first of all, the whole of the particulars excepting those asked for under columns 5, 7, and 9. and then, in those cases in which you have any 1-C. 3.