11

E.—9

NEW PLYMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL. 1. Bepoet of the Board. The retiring members of the Board for the year were Dr. Hutchinson and W K. McDiarmid, Esq., both of whom were re-elected. The resignation of Mr S. Weetman, who was removed from the district, was accepted with extreme regret. On the recommendation of the Governors, Mr C. F Bichmond was appointed to fill the vacancy The Board now consists of A. F Halcombe, Esq. (Chairman), the Hon. T Kelly, M.L.C., Dr Hutchinson, Captain Cornwall, and Messrs. McDiarmid, Bichmond, and J. B. Boy The average number on the roll for the year was forty-five, with the remarkably high average attendance of 96 per cent. The Board has been able to spare funds out cf current income to erect a substantial gymnasium and to supply the necessary fittings for the same. The total cost of the building was £130. An instructor has been engaged to give gymnastic lessons to the pupils one hour each week, and the building is thrown open to the scholars daily The erection of this building has met a long-felt want in connection with the school. In October last the Board decided upon separating the boys' and girls' classes, and, in order to carry out this arrangement, it was found necessary to dispense with the services of the second master, and to engage a junior master (at a lower salary than that paid to the late second master) and an assistant mistress. The Board has been most fortunate in securing the services of Mr. A. J. D. Mahon, of Auckland, and Miss G. Drew, recently arrived from England. It is hoped that this change of organization will result in an increase in the attendance of boys at the school. The Board has decided upon offering annually six free-tuition scholarships, four of which will be open to all children under fourteen years of age attending any public or private school in the district, and two open to children attending the High School only The Board has long felt that boarding-accommodation in connection with the school is a matter of pressing necessity, and during the year several schemes have been proposed for meeting this want, but, as the Act precludes them from borrowing for any purpose whatever, no advance has been made in this direction. The Board, however, hopes the revenue now accruing from the University reserve at Patea will soon be available for this purpose, when they venture to think that, with a good teaching staff, a magnificent site, a fair climate, and the school situated in the centre of a rapidly-advancing district, there is nothing to hinder the school from becoming a most useful institution. A. Follett Halcombe, High School Office, New Plymouth, 28th March, 1894. Chairman.

2. Geneeal Statement of Beceipts and Expendituee for the Year ending 31st December, 1893. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance .. 89 5 8 By Management— Current income from reserves . 401 14 11 Office salary . 25 0 0 Paid by School Commissioners 264 9 1 Other office expenses 2 13 9 School fees 304 2 0 Teachers' salaries and allowances .. 710 10 0 Donation for prizes . 110 Prizes 26 18 3 Printing, stationery, and advertising 20 6 3 Cleaning, fuel, light, &c. 53 13 1 Site and buildingsPurchases and new works . 122 10 6 Rents, insurance, and taxes, including New Plymouth Borough water, £10, and fee, 10s. ; New Plymouth Harbour Board rates, £12 19s. 32 4 0 Refund of school fee 0 8 0 Balance 60 8 10 12 8 £1,060 12 8 A. F Halcombe, Chairman. E. Veale, Secretary and Treasurer Examined and found correct. —James Edwaed FitzGeeald, Controller and Auditor-General.

3. Woek of Highest and Lowest Classes. Highest. —Latin Principia 1., all, gradatim; Caesar, part of Book 1., part of Arnold's Prose Composition. French Grammaire dcs Grammaires, pp. 13 to 135, Le Conscrit, pp. 3to 15, and irregular verbs. Arithmetic All. Algebra t Simultaneous quadratics, and miscellaneous. Euclid Books 1., 11., 111., and deductions. History General, and Henry VII. to Victoria, special. Geography Chisholm, pp. Ito 42 and 64 to 160, and topography of New Zealand. Grammar Smith and Hall, pp. 90 to 142, with parsing, analysis, and correction of sentences. Science Optics. • Lowest. —Latin Principia, Part 1., to ex. 9. French De Jardin, exs. 1 to 100, verbs avoir and etre. Arithmetic Colenso, exs. 18 to 29, inclusive. Algebra : Todhunter for Beginners, exs. I. to XL Euclid Book 1., Props. Ito 20. History Primary History, Henry VII. to George 111. Geography Petrie, pp. 51 to 61, and 96 to 121. Grammar Morrison, pp. 12 to 68. Science Harrison's Physics, pp. Ito 96,