73

E.—l

General Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1887. Receipts. £ s. d. Expcndikire. £ s. d. To Balance at beginning of year—- By Office staff—Salaries.. .. .. 200 0 0 On Building Account .. .. 85 1 8 Clerical assistance .. .. 41 6 3 On General Account .. .. 37 3 6 Departmental contingencies .. .. 250 6 9 Government grant for buildings .. 1,014 15 5 Inspector's salary .. .. .. 100 0 0 Other receipts for buildings— Inspector's travelling expenses .. 46 18 6 Sale of stable and section .. .. 92 0 0 Examination of pupil-teachers .. 8 3 6 Eefund .. .. .. .. 8 0 0 Teachers' salaries and allowances (inSale of building, Wallsend .. .. 15 0 0 eluding rent, bonus, &c.) .. .. 4,424 17 4 Government statutory capitation .. 4,381 17 6 Incidental expenses of schools.. .. 323 4 4 Special capitation .. .. .. 202 1 0 Scholarships— Scholarship grant .. .. .. 85 1 0 Paid to scholars .. .. .. 75 0 0 Inspection subsidy .. .. ~ 125 0 0 Examination expenses .. .. 4 3 0 Payments by School Commissioners .. 50 11 0 School-buildings— District High School fees .. .. 37 10 0 New buildings .. .. .. 479 1 0 School books .. .. .. 99 17 1 Improvements of buildings .. .. 422 9 5 Greymouth High School Board .. 30 0 0 Furniture and appliances .. .. 267 12 0 Kefunds .. .. .. .. 28 6 8 Plans, supervision, and foes.. .. 117 15 1 Balanco at end of year— School requisites .. .. .. 91 9 7 On Building Account .. .. 87 0 5 Interest .. .. .. .. 718 6 On General Account .. .. 499 0 0 Beturn deposit to adjust account .. 18 0 0 £6,878 5 3 £6,878 5 3 Eichaed Nancareow, Chairman. E. T. Eobinson, Secretary. I hereby certify that I have examined the above statement, and, having compared it with cash-books, vouchers, bank pass-book, and other documents, find the same to be correct.—E. F. Eich, Auditor. 3rd February, 1888.

WESTLAND. Sib,— Hokitika, Ist March, 1888. In accordance with section 102 of " The Education Act, 1877," I have the honour to transmit the report of the Education Board of the District of Westland for the year ending on the 31st December, 1887. At the beginning of the year the Board consisted of the following persons: Messrs. McLean W. Jack, Charles Bose, Eichard John Seddon, elected by the local Committees; and Messrs. Joseph Grimmond, John McWhirter, and Henry Eichardson Eae, nominated by the Government. By "The Westland and Grey Education Boards Act Continuance Act, 1887," the number of members to be nominated was increased to four ; and Mr. Gerhard Mueller was selected by the Government to make up the number. This appointment was regarded by the Board as a most judicious one, as Mr. Mueller has taken an active part in educational affairs from the earliest settlement of the district. The Board held seventeen meetings during the year—twelve ordinary and five special meetings. The average attendance of members at the meetings was four. The following is the individual attendance : Mr. Grimmond, 10 meetings ; Mr. Jack, 15 ; Mr. McWhirter, 11; Mr. Mueller (appointed in July), 7 ; Mr. Eae, 9; Mr. Eose, 12; and Mr. Seddon, 8. Messrs. Grimmond and Seddon were absent for some months, attending the meetings of Parliament, and received leave of absence from the Board. Public Schools. —There are now twenty-four schools in this district, another small aided school having been added to the list since the last report. This school is situated at the Waikukupa Eiver, half-way between Gillespie's and Okarito, and about twelve miles distant from both. At present there are only five children of school-age attending ; and the cost to the Board is at the rate of £5 per head per annum. There are now five schools of this kind in the district, having a total average attendance of forty-nine, for which the Board receives, under the present regulations, £3 15s. per head, and pays £5, besides incurring some slight extra expense for inspection, &c. Although this may appear to be a high rate of cost, and is a decided drag upon its very limited resources, the Board has always regarded the outlying settlers as being entitled to quite as much (if not more) consideration as those located in more thickly populated parts of the colony, and has done its utmost to give them some of the benefits which the Act provides. And although it " goes without saying " that the quality of the education that can be provided at such schools is not to be compared with that obtainable at the larger public schools in the district, yet the Board holds the opinion that, if no more than the three Es be taught, the cost of maintaining them would be fully justified. The late retrenchment however, it is feared, will compel the Board to discontinue the aid at present afforded to the smallest of these schools, and thus condemn the unfortunate children of the pioneers of the country to grow up in hopeless ignorance. Tbachees. —There are now sixty-three teachers (including pupil-teachers and monitors) in the Board's employ, classified at the end of the year as follows : — A. Certificated Teachers. —In charge of schools : Males, 10; females, 1: total, 11. Assistants: Males, 3 ; females, 7 : total, 10. B. Uhcertificated. —In charge of schools : Males, 6; females, 7: total, 13. Assistants : Males, 0; females, 3 : total, 3. C. Pupil-teachers. —Ist class: Males, 1; females, 4 : total, 5. 2nd class : Males, 2 ; females, 1: total, 3. 3rd class: Males, 3; females, 5: total, 8. 4th class: Males, 1; females, 1 : total, 2. I). Monitors. —Males, 2; females, 6 : total, 8.