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the matter prominently before the parents has had a salutary effect; but it does not appear probable that any committee will take upon itself the unpleasant task of summoning negligent parents. The Board strongly urges the neeessity of placing this duty in the hands of a paid official. Public Libraries.—The grant for 1879, under " The Public Libraries Subsidies Act," was not received before the end of the year, but has since been allocated as follows : —Timaru, £76 os. Bd.; Temuka, £34 Bs. lid.; Waimate, £30 25.; Geraldine, £29 12s. 5d.; Winchester, £9 18s. lOd.; Pleasant Point, £5 16s. ld.; Waitohi Flat, £3 19s. 6d.; Hilton, £3 14s. 7d.; total, £193 13s. The Board has invited the managers of the various libraries to receive the value cf their grants in books to be obtained from England by the Board. Penny Banks. —The question of establishing school penny banks was introduced to the notice of committees as directed by the Education Department, but no further action was taken by the Board. Committees have duly considered the question, but, in almost all cases, their decisions have been more or less adverse to the adoption of the system. Wherever a feeling favourable to the introduction of the banks existed, it appeared altogether undesirable to accept the plan adopted by the Government. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. Herbert Belfield, Chairman.

■» General Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the year ending 13st December, 1879. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ a. dTo balance, Ist January, 1878— By Office and Board— Maintenance Account .. .. 1,451 10 2 Office Staff, Salaries .. .. 316 13 4 Special Buildings Grant .. .. 3,476 14 3 Clerical Assistance .. .. 2 0 0 Grants from Government— Departmental Contingencies .. 335 4 9 Statutory Capitation (£3 155.) .. 6,079 14 2 School InspectionGrants to Committees (10s.) .. 969 8 4 Salaries .. .. 300 0 0 Inspection Subsidy .. .. 300 0 0 Travelling expenses .. .. 96 4 7 Specially for Buildings .. .. 13,330 0 0 Examination of Pupil Teachers .. 18 4 0 Payments by School Commissioners, from Teachers' salaries and allowances .. 6,909 0 1 Education Eeserves .. .. 662 16 3 School Committees, for educational purSubscriptions and Donations specially for poses .. .. 1,085 0 2 Buildings .. .. 117 10 0 Scholarships— From Public Libraries Vote .. .. 211 2 9 Paid to holders .. .. 93 10 0 Interest on Current Account at National Expenses of examinations .. 8 15 0 Bank of New Zealand .. .. 159 1 9 Insurance of school buildings .. 161 15 11 Balance from Bank of New Zealand to School Buildings— Special Building Grant .. 7 7 3 New Buildings .. .. 11,895 13 8 Part Proceeds of Sale of Building .. 25 2 0 Enlargement, improvement, and repairs .. .. 986 18 1 School furniture and appliances not included in preceding .. 1,810 17 11 Purchase of sites .. .. 474 5 3 Plans, supervision, &c. .. .. 559 19 3 Library Committees out of Public Libraries vote .. .. 211 2 9 Office furniture, from special building grant .. .. 81 8 8 Balance maintenance account .. 457 18 9 Special building grant .. .. 1,035 14 9 £26,790 6 11 £26,790 6 11 Herbert Belfield, Chairman. Henry W. Hammond, Secretary. I have audited this account, I have compared the items with the vouchers, and find it correct, and the balance at the bank is accurately stated. J. Ollivier, Provincial District Auditor.

WESTLAND. Sir,-— Hokitika, 25th March, 1880. In compliance with the provisions of clause 102 of the " Education Act, 1877," and with the request contained in Circular No. 43 of December Bth, 1879, I have the honor to submit the following report of the proceedings of the Board during the past year :■— The following gentlemen were members of the Board at the beginning of the year :—G. Mueller, Esq., (Chairman), W. H. Eevell, Esq., J. Greenwood, Esq., E. Patten, Esq., R. C. Reid, Esq., R. J. Seddon, Esq., J. Plaisted, Esq., F. Morgan, Esq., and G. A. Paterson, Esq. On the 31st day of March, 1879, the following members retired: —J. Greenwood, Esq., R. J. Seddon, Esq., and F. Morgan, Esq. R. J. Seddon, Esq., was re-elected, and J. Grimmond, Esq., and C. Parfitt, Esq., were elected to be members in place of the other two retiring members. The following members resigned during the year:-—W. H. Eevell, Esq., and J. Plaisted, Esq. C. Broad, Esq., and W. H. Perkins, Esq , were elected to fill the respective vacancies. Owing to the first named gentleman's sudden decease, he did not take his seat upon the Board. G. Mueller, Esq., having only accepted the chairmanship of the Board for one year, resigned the position in May, but was unanimously re-elected. Including adjourned meetings, the number of meetings held by the Board during the year was twenty. E. Patten, Esq., having resigned as one of the School Commissioners for the Westland Provincial District, the Board appointed G. Mueller, Esq., to represent them in his stead. Schools and Teachers.—On January Ist, 1879, the number of schools carried on under the Board's control, was thirty-five, and the number of teachers employed was seventy-eight. Of these fifty-one were 4