E.—lc

6

had been refused admittance to the public schools in consequence of an insufficiency of school accommodation, the Education Boards were asked by circular to say how many children had been refused admittance from this cause at the opening of the school term in January last (1888). To that circular the following answers were returned:— Auckland.— Town and suburbs : 1886, 200; 1887, 390; 1888, 112. Thames Goldfields : 1886, 112 ; 1887, 100 ; 1888, 40. In Auckland town and suburbs the Board has been and is making provision for increased accommodation. Taranaki. —None refused. Waipuku and Midhurst with 90 on the roll, only fit for 40. Schools wanted at Kura Eoad, Eltham Eoad, and Waihi. Wanganui. —No information in office. Has asked Committees. Eequirements mostly in respect of new schools. Wellington. —Te Aro School reports 100; Tory Street, 45 ; Newtown, 30 (150 children in a room 30ft. by 22ft.). But no definite record has been kept. Hawke's Bay. —Debit balance of £1,000 on Building Account, yet schools overcrowded, and districts where schools are wanted cannot be provided for. Marlborough.- —None. Nelson. —None. Grey. —None refused; the securing of capitation too vitally necessary. Several schools overcrowded ; Dobson very much so. Westland. —None. Has written to two schools that were at one time overcrowded. North Canterbury. —At Sydenham many have been refused, and quite 100 waiting. This is the only case. South Canterbury. —Several schools have only Bft. of space per child. Besidents refuse to send children to Hakateramea, where school is held in a kitchen. Otago. —No definite information. Southland. —Board has not been informed of any refusal to admit. Note. —The following figures relate to the City of Wellington : — Children from five to fifteen years— 1887. At Board schools .. .. .. .. .. 4,568 At private schools, estimate ahout .. .. .. .. 1,400 At superior schools .. .. .. .. .. 159 Receiving tuition at home .. .. .. .. .. 256 6,383 Total children living, from five to fifteen years .. .. .. 7,059 Total number not accounted for.. .. .. .. .. 676* From the answers furnished by the Boards, it does not appear that there is any serious deficiency of school accommodation, if we except the isolated cases which some of the Boards have brought prominently under notice. The collective answers of the Boards go to show that accommodation is urgently required for 500 more children who have presented themselves, and it is not an extravagant assumption that the £31,678 just distributed amongst the Boards (vide Table F) will provide building accommodation for eight times 500. In explanation of the distribution of the building vote for the present year it should be stated that a sum of £40,000 was placed upon the Public Works estimates for building purposes. Against that vote there were outstanding liabilities amounting to £8,893, leaving £31,107 for distribution. A circular was sent to the Boards calling attention to the amount at the disposal of the Government for building purposes, and requesting them to furnish an estimate which would cover no more than the actual requirements of each for the year, it being the intention of the Government to spend the money where it was found to be most urgently needed. The estimates sent in amounted to £90,877 16s. 10d., and under these circumstances the Government had no alternative but to distribute the amount at their disposal upon the population basis. The following table shows the amount applied for by each Board and the manner in which the vote was distributed: —

Table E.

Board. Boards' Estimates of Expenditure required. Population. Amount at Is. per Head of Population. Auckland... Taranaki ... Wanganui Wellington Hawke's Bay Marlborough Nelson Greymouth Westland... Canterbury North ... Canterbury South ... Otago Southland £ s. d. 1-8,000 0 0 2,390 0 0 7,661 14 1 20,984 0 0 15,209 0 0 No return. 2,558 0 0 2,285 0 0 914 0 0 12,438 0 0 4,838 2 9 11,750 0 0 11,850 0 0 121,828 11,559 32,505 50,841 29,888 9,587 25,993 • 8,728 10,168 100,409 23,044 109,240 39,150 £ s. 6,091 8 577 19 1,625 5 2,542 1 1,494 8 479 7 1,299 13 436 8 508 8 5,020 9 1,152 4 5,462 0 1,957 10 d. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 £90,877 16 10 §28,647 0 0 * Accounted for in the manner already explained has been distributed since this table was mac {see page 5). le. t Also £5,000 next session. J Including £2,400 overdraft.