E.—9

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3. Inspectoe's Eepoet. Sir,— Education Department, Wellington, 31st December, 1885. I visited and inspected the Akaroa High School, in accordance with your instructions, on the Ist of last September. At the time of my visit an examination was being held. This was not altogether disadvantageous, for, though I had not an opportunity of seeing the ordinary working of the school (as on my previous visit), I was able, by watching the boys and girls working their papers, to form a very good estimate of their power of dealing with questions based on their previous year's work. The impression produced was favourable. The pupils are evidently accustomed to work hard, and to encounter difficulties and overcome them satisfactorily. The range of the work had been somewhat decreased since the previous inspection. One of the old scholars who was well advanced had left, and there were not as yet any others quite fit to take his place; but it was quite plain that very good work had been done by nearly all the scholars. It is to be regretted that the buildings in use are thoroughly unsuitable for school purposes. An expenditure of £250 would suffice for building a neat schoolhouse that would satisfy the wants of Akaroa in this direction for many years to come. I have, &c, The Inspector-General of Schools. James H. Pope.

4. Woek of Highest and Lowest Fobms. Boys. — Highest: Virgil (iEneid, II.), Public School Latin Primer, Bennett's Exercises, Principia ; Hachette's and Bue's Eeaders, Grammaire dcs Grammaires ; Smith and Hall's English Grammar, composition, Edith Thomson's history; geography; Euclid, I. ; algebra, to simple simultaneous equations; arithmetic (whole subject) ; elementary hydrostatics ; drawing; bookkeeping. Lowest: Principia, to end of active verbs ; Morell's English Grammar; Contie's Spelling; Brief History ; First Geography ; arithmetic, compound rules and reduction ; drawing. Girls. — -Highest: Principia, to end of regular nouns, with appendix; Bue's Eeader, Grammaire dcs Grammaires; Morell's Grammar, Contie's Spelling, Goldsmith's Traveller and Deserted Village, Lamb's Tales; history (E. Thomson); geography, Europe; arithmetic, to interest rules; drawing. Lowest: Ahn's First French Course, Petit Prccepteur; Morrison's Junior Grammar, Contie's Spelling; Brief History (earlier reigns) ; geography, New Zealand, Australia, and British Isles (outlines) ; compound rules and reduction ; drawing.

ASHBURTON HIGH SCHOOL. 1. Balance-sheet for the Year ending 31st December, 1885. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Rent from reserves .. '.. .. 433 14 11 By Overdraft, December, 1884 .. .. 65 0 5 Pees .. .. .. .. 241 6 0 Salaries for thirteen months, to 3Ut DeSale of books .. .. .. .. 27 8 1 eember, 1885 .. .. .. 773 6 8 Balance, bank overdraft .. .. 340 14 9 Books .. .. .. .. 64 711 Stationery, prizes, &c... .. .. 33 12 11 Cleaning, fuel, &c. .. .. .. 45 16 3 Repairs, insurance, &c. .. .. 33 17 G Incidental expenses .. .. .. 27 2 1 £1,043 3 9 £1,043 3 9 I have audited this account, and have compared the items with the vouchers, and find it correct. The actual annual rent is £425 14s. 2d., derived from the estate; the fees from scholars, £241—■ together, £665 —£100 a year less than the salaries to teachers ; and the institution is already in debt £340.— J. Olliviee, Provincial District Auditor.—9th April, 1886.

2. Eepoet of the Inspectob-Genebal to the Hon. the Ministeb of Education. Ashburton High School. —lnspected 23rd November. There are two masters for the Boys' School; but a large share of their time is given to the Girls' School, which has but one mistress. The boys in the highest Form are preparing to compete for University junior scholarships. The work of the lowest form is—English grammar (Hall's Primary), composition, and reading ; Collier's British History ; Philips's Elementary Geography ; arithmetic — compound rules and fractions ; French—Hall's First Book ; Latin—the early part of Principia, Part I. The school, which is small, is very much subdivided, to meet the wants of pupils at very various stages of progress, and much of the work is done rather as if it were private study with a tutor than in the ordinary manner of class-work. It appears to me that the boys are making good progress. There is very little strict discipline; but I think there is diligence, and cheerful and intelligent application. The girls of the highest Form have read Principia, Part 1., and are at work on Bennett's Latin Stories. In French they use Dejardin's Class-book, Hachetto's Second Eeader, Brachet's Grammar, and Blouet's Composition. In English they have been reading Henry IV., Lycidas, and Gray's Odes and Elegy. In Euclid they have read three books. Their work in algebra is fractions and simple equations, and in arithmetic the whole of Hamblin Smith. In addition to geography and English history they learn some Grecian history. They use the Physics Primer, and have instruction in drawing, needlework, vocal music, and calisthenics. The lowest Form is a little below the standard of the lowest in the boys' school. The tone of the school appeared to me to be very satisfactory.