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parts, and making valuable suggestions. The publicity given to the reports of impartial examiners must exercise a beneficial influence on the future of the school. Some changes have been made in the staff, necessitated by three of the assistant-masters having been appointed to more lucrative offices in other public schools, and by the resignation of one assistant-master through ill health. The vacancies have all been filled by thoroughly well-qualified masters. The teaching staff of the school consists at present of headmaster, T. Miller, M.A.; second master, G. Hogben, M.A. assistant-masters, B. Lawrence, 8.A.; 3J. Eergusson, T. Arnold, 8.A.; and H. Cross; part time master, H. Watson, 8.A.; modern languages, E. de Montalk, B. es L.; singing-master, W. H. Sims; drill-instructor, Staff-Serjeant-Major Morgan. In the month of January last the headmaster sent in his resignation, to take effect on the 31st March, 1884, at the end of the term for which he was appointed. A Commission has been appointed to elect a duly-qualified successor in England, and Mr. Kennaway has been requested to take the necessary steps to insure the arrival in Christchurch of the gentleman who may be selected before the end of March next. Giels' High School. During the past year changes have taken place in the staff of the school owing to the resignation of Mrs. Ingle, the lady-principal, who has gone to England, and Miss Edger, Miss L. Edger, and Miss Hamilton, consequent on their receiving the following appointments—viz., Miss Edger to be lady-principal at the Girls' High School, Nelson, taking with her her sister as assistant-mistress, and Miss Hamilton to be lady-principal at the Girls' High School, Wellington. This necessitated the following new appointments, and the school commenced this year with Miss H. Connon, M.A., as lady-principal, with Misses Grossman, 8.A., Pike, and Cambridge, as assistant-teachers, and Miss Thompson, teacher of needlework. The school was inspected by the Inspector-General, who stated, "I inspected this school on the 4th November, and beg to report briefly that I find it to be one of the best schools I know." It was examined by Professors Bickerton, Brown, Cook, and Haslam, who reported very favourably on the examination, and on the good discipline and tone of the school. The examination in needlework was conducted by three ladies, who state that "the character of the work was so good that they found it difficult to award the prizes." These reports were read out at the annual meeting, when prizes of books were distributed to deserving pupils. The number of pupils for each term last year was : Third term, 1882, 77 ; first term, 1883, 75 ; second term, 1883, 75; number of pupils attending this term, 75. In December last two Junior University Scholarships were gained by Elizabeth Milsom and Ellen Pitcaithly, pupils of this school, and a scholarship (Class C), given by the Board of Education, was gained by Janet Prosser. Considerable alterations at the instance of the lady-principal have been made. • Latin is now an optional subject. There is now no extra charge for drawing. Special attention is given to physical training by means of drill and calisthenics at the Normal School. Instruction in drawing was given to the pupils in the School of Art last term, but the lady-principal found that the time lost going to and coming from the School of Art affected the teaching in the High School, and in wet weather the health of the girls might suffer, therefore it was decided that instruction in drawing should be given in the school by a teacher specially appointed for that purpose. The lady-principal is very anxious that cookery should be taught at the school, but unfortunately the funds at the disposal of the Board have not been hitherto sufficient to provide apparatus and pay a duly qualified teacher. The endowment from reserves for the maintenance of this school is not sufficient owing to the quality of the land being inferior and the annual rental consequently inconsiderable. At the request of the Board £200 has this year been placed on the General Government estimates, which will be about sufficient to pay engagements already entered into. Public Libbaby. The number of books at present in the circulating library is 8,942 ; in the reference library, 6,577 ; the number of subscribers, 576. A monthly parcel of books of the value of £15 has been ordered from Messrs. Sampson, Low, and Co., of London, and letters have been sent asking them to "exercise the greatest care in selecting and sending books that are well spoken of and popular. Owing to the expense incurred in making additions to the caretaker's house so that it might be habitable, and also to the withdrawal of the General Government subsidy in 1881, liabilities for books ordered had to be mci by an overdraft from the bank on general account. The account of the Library is at the present time overdrawn to the extent of £873. The Coinmitte have given earnest and anxious attention to this matter without being able to see a way by which this debt can be decreased except by larger contributions from some source at present unavailable. I venture to point out one way which, I think, is the only practical solution of the difficulty. The endowment for the maintenance of the Museum, Library, and School of Technical Science consists of 105,207 acres of pastoral land, and the interest of the net proceeds on 11,027 acres which have been sold. At present the reserve is let to pastoral tenants for £1,451 13s. 7d. per annum. By "The" Eeserves Sales and Leasing Act, 1876," this land may be purchased in the same way as the waste lands of the Crown at £2 per acre, but unfortunately the land is not of such quality as people will purchase at that price. By the Act of 1877 the land might be sold on deferred payments at an upset price of £1 per acre; but, if the Board decided that the land should be sold on those conditions, the half-yearly payments would have to be considered as capital, and invested in securities. The Board would, therefore, only have the interest from such investments, which for many years to come would be less than the amount now received annually as rent. This method of sale on deferred payments was not contemplated when the reserve was made. It is evident that if the annual receipts from deferred payments were capitalized the amount at the end of fifteen years (the term during which the payments would be made) would be a much larger sum than the capital value of the land at'present. If an alteration of the law were effected by which, say, two-thirds of the amount to be received from the annual deferred payments should be considered capital, and invested as such, and the remaining third be considered as interest, and used for maintenance, the amount at the disposal of the Board for the support of the institutions depending for their existence.