57

E.—l.

REPORTS OF EDUCATION BOARDS FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1832.

[Noxis. —Minute details relating to school districts are in some cases omitted. Tables are not all reprinted^ the substance of most of them being embodied in the tables in or attached to the report of the Minister. With a view to uniformity of classification the order of details has been in some instances changed in the statements of accounts.]

AUCKLAND. Auckland, 16th March, 1883. In compliance with section 102 of the Act, the Board presents the following report of its proceedings during the year: — Boakd.—The number of Board meetings held during the year was twenty-nine ; the average attendance of members was over six. Mr. W. P. Moat was elected in April to succeed Mr. Clark as Chairman. An Executive Committee, consisting of the Chairman, Mr. Luke, and Mr. Prime, was at the same time elected, in order to expedite the work of the Board, which continues to increase. Meetings of the Committee are held every week. The Board meets, as a rule, once a fortnight. At the yearly election of three members held in March, 1882, there Y^ere seven candidates. Mr. J. M. Clark and Mr. F. J. Mtiss, M.H.R., were re-elected, and Mr. Richard Laishley, jun., was elected to fill the third vacancy. The three members who retire in March, 1883, are Mr. Goldie, Mr. Luke, and Mr. Prime. The first two are candidates for re-election. Mr. Prime retires from the Board after a continuous service extending over nine years. Public Schools. —The number of schools in operation during the whole or any part of the year was 215, or, counting two half-time schools as one school, 192. The number of school districts was 166. The following schools were closed in the course of the year : Churchill (Waikato), Omaru (Matakohe), and the aided schools at Miranda and Muddy Creek. The management of the Auckland Howe Street School was taken over by the Department on the 30th June. The new schools opened during the year are Waiheke Island, Owharoa in the Ohinemuri District, and Te Aroha West. The Queen's Redoubt School (Pokeno), which had remained closed for three years, was reopened in December. The Board has received a large number of applications for the establishment of small schools in remote country districts. Great care is necessary in dealing with them. It is difficult to avoid, on the one hand, cases of hardship to individuals, and on the other hand the multiplication of small non-paying schools to an extent beyond the means of the Board to maintaiu. In a few cases a capitation grant of £4> a year on the average attendance is sufficient to meet present requirements, and aid is given accordingly under section 88 of the Act; but in many cases, after the fullest inquiry, the Board is obliged to build a school for the accommodation of a few children who live beyond travelling distance from any other school. The circumstances of different localities are so various that it is scarcely possible to fix a minimum number-of scholars for all cases. Each application is dealt with on its merits, and with a due regard to surrounding circumstances. Wherever it has been possible to do so the Board has adopted the half-time system. In this manner the schools at Hikutaia and Turua, and at Wairauga and Rangiriri, have been combined into half-time schools ; and similar arrangements have been made, to take effect from the Ist January, 1883, in respect of the following schools: Kaitaia and Maungatete; Hoteo North and Tauhoa; Dome Valley and Kaipara Flats; Katikati Nos. 1 and 3. The results of the half-time system continue to be, on the whole, satisfactory. Teachers.—The staff of teachers at the end of the year numbered 488, being somewhat less than the number at the end of the previous year. The classification is as follows : — Male. Female. Total. Head-teachers * •• ..151 .. 52 .. 203 Assistant teachers .. .. 24 .. 77 ~ 101 Pupil-teaohe-rs .. 20 .. 116 .. 136 Sewing-teachers .. .... .. 42 .. 42 Visiting teachers .. .. 6 .. .. .. 6 Total .. ..201 .. 287 ..' 488 B—E. 1.