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Geneeal Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st -December, 1894. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance— By Office staff—Salaries 325 0 0 On Building Account 2,540 6 7 Departmental contingencies 243 9 2 On General Account 2,605 2 11 Inspector's salary 500 0 0 Government grant for buildings 2,650 0 0 Inspector's travelling expenses 173 0 0 Subscriptions and donations for build- Examination of pupil-teachers 89 7 10 ings .. 239 17 6 Teachers' salaries and allowances 17 644 16 8 Other receipts for buildings Trans- Incidental expenses of schools 1 990 1 8 fer from School Fund 49 10 4 Scholarships— Government statutory capitation 18,29G 0 0 Paid to scholars 385 4 0 Government scholarship grant 415 10 3 Examination expenses 43 7 6 Inspection subsidy 300 0 0 School buildings— Payments by School Commissioners 3,040 5 3 New buildings 2,535 4 11 District High School fees 238 16 0 Improvements of buildings 904 5 8 Subsidy for teacher's salary 25 14 0 Furniture and appliances 293 11 2 Sites 3 15 0 Plans, supervision, and fees 229 11 0 Building Fund, contra account 49 10 4 Exchange on cheques 11 16 6 Balance— On Building Account . 1,414 6 0 On General Account 3,564 15 5 £30,401 2 10, £30,401 2 10 Geo. T Fannin Secretary Examined and found correct. —James Edwabd FitzGeeald, Controller and Auditor-General.

MABLBOEOUGH. Sir,— Education Office, Blenheim, 12th March, 1895. I have the honour to present the report of the Marl-borough Education Board for the year ending 31st December, 1894. The Boabd.—At the beginning of the year the Board consisted of the following gentlemen The Hon. W D H. Baillie, Messrs. Thomas Carter, John Duncan, J M. Hutcheson, J A. Lambert, Charles H. Mills, WB. Parker, JH. Eedwood, and A. P Seymour The members retiring by rotation at the end of March were Messrs. Duncan, Hutcheson, and Parker Mr Hutcheson declined to stand for re-election, and Messrs. Duncan, Parker, and J C. Chaytor were elected to fill the vacancies. The Board held fifteen meetings during the year, two being adjourned meetings and one a special meeting. The Hon. Colonel Baillie attended 8 meetings, Mr Carter, 14; Mr Chaytor, 10 (nine months), Mr Duncan, 13 Mr Lambert, 8 Mr Mills, 6, Mr Parker, 11, Mr. Eedwood, 14 , and Mr Seymour 7 The average attendance per meeting was rather over 6. Schools. —The number of schools that have been in operation during the year 1894 is fifty-five, and, of these, thirty-six have an average attendance below 25, as many as thirty having less than 15 pupils, and twelve of them less than 6. The absolute necessity for the existence of these small household schools has been frequently referred to in this Board's former reports, and arises from the unusual—one might perhaps say unique—geographical features of the northern portion of this education district. Although the maintenance of these little schools is likely to become burdensome to its finances, the Board cannot for a moment contemplate the refusal to grant aid to the isolated settlers in the Sounds for the education of their children , but, on the contrary, considers that it would be wanting in its duty to the cause of education if it neglected to do anything in its power to extend the benefits of the Education Act to the remotest corners of the district. Whether it will be always within the power of the Board to continue its present scale of payments, or whether it will be compelled to place a minimum limit on the number of children for whom aid will in future be granted, probably depends in a great measure upon the special consideration that may be shown by the department for a district so heavily weighted with schools financially unproductive. By reference to the last report of the Minister it will be seen that in Marlborough there are absolutely more schools having less than fifteen pupils than in any district excepting Auckland. The only district which approaches Marlborough in the number of small schools is Westland. The small schools in the Auckland District are about 11 per cent, of the whole number, in Taranaki, 6 per cent., Wanganui, 12 per cent., Hawke's Bay, 7 per cent., Wellington, 6 per cent., Nelson, 20 per cent., Grey, 21 per cent., Westland, 46 per cent. North Canterbury, 9 per cent., South Canterbury, 16 per cent. Otago, 10 per cent. Southland, 24 per cent., Marlborough, 48 per cent.; but for the year now under review the number of small schools in Marlborough has increased to about 55 per cent. There are only four schools in this district whose earnings—that is, the capitation received from the Government on their account—are more than sufficient to pay the teachers' salaries, and three of these average only £62 above that amount. In face of such difficulties as these, the Board cannot deceive itself with the hope that it will long be able to continue to treat these aided schools as liberally as is needful, if they are to exist at all, unless some special extra provision is made for a population so scattered, and by nature cut off from intercourse with other parts of the district and colony Attendance.—The average weekly roll-number for the year was 2,1135, and the working average daily attendance was 1,707 "75, or nearly 81 per cent, These figures show that the attend-

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