E.—l

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buildings are used which are not the property of the Board it seldom happens that school work can be carried on as efficiently or with as little interruption as could be desired. Many buildings are still urgently needed, both for schools already established and for new schools. The Board has endeavoured to adhere to its rule of requiring, at least in country places, a site of sufficient area to give accommodation for playground, teacher's dwelling, garden, and paddock; It is recommended that, in laying off a new township, provision should always be made by a liberal reservation to meet future requirements. The Board will gladly accept conveyances of laud for that purpose. Unless some such timely provision is made there is apt to be a subsequentdifficulty in obtaining sufficient land. In the town schools the want of space for playground is a serious inconvenience. Some efforts have been made during the year to obtain recreation grounds. At Wellcsley Street power has been given by the Legislature to set apart two acres for this purpose, and the Board has appropriated a sum of £500 out of the vote for " playgrounds " towards the cost of filling in the land and making it suitable. Other works are contemplated under this vote—(l) The improvement of the playground at Beresford Street, and (2) the purchase of a recreation-ground at Otahuhu. Training College.—The report of the Principal is appended. The number of students increased during the year from ten to twenty. Ten students, having completed their course, have left the College and entered xvpon active service as teachers. Twenty new students have been admitted since January, making a present total of thirty. Students receive from the Board an allowance for maintenance, and are required to give security that they will continue to teach for at least two years after leaving the College. The students admitted hitherto have been, either pupil-teachers who have completed or have nearly completed their term of service, or holders of district scholarships who have entered the service of the Board as pupil-teachers. As stated above, the cost of the Training College, although actually less during the past year than the amount of the grant, is now in excess of it. Classes are held by the Principal for the instruction of teachers and pupil-teachers, and assistance has been given by him to country teachers by means of correspondence. A separate class for the training of teachers is held at the Thames. Libraries. —The distribution of the grant to public libraries was not intrusted to the Board this year. Small grants of books have been made by the Board to aid and encourage the formation of school libraries. It is regretted that, by a change in the definition of the term "public library," the school libraries were excluded from participating in the grant voted by Parliament, in which on previous occasions they had shared. District High Schools.—Applications have been received for the establishment of district high schools at Cambridge, Hamilton, Waipu, and Warkworth. The Board is inclined to deal favourably with such applications where it can be shown that there is a reasonable prospect of the schools being made self-supporting. Scholarships.—Twenty-three scholarships were held at the end of the year. At the annual examination held in December last three open and ten district scholarships were awarded. Five of the scholarships were gained by girls, who compete on equal terms with boys. Certificates of proficiency were awarded to eleven candidates who obtained half marks in each subject of examination. The question of ages of candidates has occupied a large share of attention during the past year. Hitherto candidates have been admitted of any age from twelve to seventeen. The Board was recently asked by the Governors of the Auckland College and Grammar School —to which the boys who gain scholarships are sent —to limit the age to thirteen years, and to provide a second course of scholarships to be competed for by holders of first scholarships on reaching the age of fifteen. Due consideration was given to these proposals; but a legal difficulty arose in the wording of section 51 of flic Act, under which Boards are empowered to "establish scholarships to bs competed for by the pupils attending any public school, and also scholarships open to all children of school age." It seemed clear to the Board that any limit to age below fifteen (school age) would be contrary to 1-aw. The Board took the opinion of counsel on the point, and was advised that pupils of any age lawfully attending a public school were eligible to compete for scholarships. The regulations for 1883 have been framed accordingly to admit the competition of pupils of any age. Another change has been made in abolishing the open scholarships hitherto competed for by pupils of secondary schools and maintained at the cost of the Board. It seems to the Board that the cost of such scholarships is more properly chargeable upon the endowments for secondary education than upon the capitation grant earned by public-school attendances. School Committees. —The Board gladly acknowledges the continued support andco-opera-tiah afforded by School Committees in carrying out the provisions of the Act. The Hon. the Minister of Education. Wm. P. Moat, Chairman.