66

B.—l

General Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1897. Receipts. £ a. A. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance — By Office staff—salaries .. .. 175 0 0 On Building Account .. .. 675 17 3 Clerical assistance.. .. .. 810 0 Scholarship Account .. .. 3 11 8 . Departmental contingencies .. .. 193 15 1 On General Aocount .. .. 355 19 10 Inspector's salary .. .. .. 350 0 0 Land Account .. .. .. 5 16 8 Inspector's travelling-expenses .. 91 13 4 Cash in hand .. .. .. 118 Examination of pupil-teachers .. 517 3 Government grant for buildings .. 1,940 0 0 Teachers' salaries and allowances (inGovernment statutory capitation .. 10,955 14 11 eluding rent, bonus, &c.) .. .. 9,766 19 3 Scholarship grant .. .. .. 211 4 3 Incidental expenses of schools .. 1,285 17 2 Inspection subsidy .. .. .. 200 0 0 Training of teachers .. .. 141 0 0 Payments by School Commissioners .. 1,362 14 11 Scholarships— Rents of school sites .. .. 28 6 0 Paid to scholars.. .. .. 206 5 0 Sale of old buildings.. .. .. 21 0 0 Examination expenses .. .. 7 13 Interest on Land Fund .. .. 0 6 11 School buildingsPayments by Committees .. .. 9 2 6 New buildings .. .. .. 1,272 3 3 Improvements of buildings .. .. 696 15 7 Furniture and appliances .. .. 220 14 1 Sites .. .. .. .. 30 6 3 Plans, supervision, and fees .. 70 0 0 Advertising, &c. .. .. .. 15 4 6 Balance— £ a. A. Building Account .. 341 9 11 Scholarship Account 19 8 General Account .. 961 1 8 Land Account .. 6 2 10 Gash in hand .. 10 9 1,311 4 10 Less outstanding cheques 77 10 3 1,233 14 7 £15,770 16 7 £15,770 16 7 Eobert G. Bauchope, Chairman. G. Veale, Secretary. Examined and found correct —J. K. Warburton, Controller and Auditor-General.

WANGANUI. Sir, — Wanganui, March, 1898. I have the honour to present the annual report of the proceedings oFthis Board for the year ending 31st December, 1897. Board. —The members who retired by rotation in March last were Messrs. Henry Sanson, James W. Baker, and George A. Hurley. Messrs. Baker and Hurley were re-elected, and Mr. F. M. Spurdle, of Wanganui, was elected in place of Mr. Sanson. During the year Mr. Gilbert Carson, Chairman of the Board, resigned, and Mr. G. S. Bridge'was elected to the vacant seat. Upon the resignation of Mr. Carson, Mr. J. W. Baker was elected Chairman for the current year. The Board is therefore now composed of the following gentlemen: Mr. James W. Baker, Warrengate, Chairman ; Mr. George S. Bridge, Wanganui; Mr. B. C. Bobbins, Hawera; Eev. John Boss, Turakina; Mr. F. M. Spurdle, Wanganui; Mr. J. H. Fry, Makino ; Mr. Frank Y. Lethbridge, M.H.E., Feilding ; Mr. Fred. Pirani, M.H.E., Palmerston North; and Mr. George A. Hurley, Manaia. Schools. —The number of schools in operation in this district at the close of 1896 was 124, and at the close of 1897 it was 127. The new schools opened are : Anderson Eoad, Utiku, and Moawhango. The average weekly roll-number for the quarter ending 31st December was 10,283. The working average, upon which the Board receives the capitation grant, was 8,459, and the strict average attendance was 8,352. The percentage of strict average attendance to the rollnumber for the four quarters was as follows: First quarter, 78-34; second quarter, 80-79 j'third quarter, 81-29 ; and fourth quarter, 81-22. The average for the year is 80-41. These figuresshow a steady rise until we come to the last quarter, when there is a slight fall. This, however, is usually the case at the end of the year. The schools are divided as follows : Twelve are aided schools, with an average attendance under 15 pupils ; seven are aided, with an average of 15 and under 20; nineteen have an average of over 20 and under 25 ; thirty-nine have an average of over 25 and under 50; twenty-one have an average of over 50 and under 75; three have an average of over 75 and under 100; thirteen have an average of over 100 and under 150 ; nine have an average of over*ls0 e and under .300; and four have an average of over 300 and under 500. Only the nineteen schools firstnamed, with an average of under 20, are aided schools. A change has been made in the names of four schools, namely : Karereis now called Longburn ; Paraekaretu, Silverhope ; Kaitoke, Millburn; and Goat Valley, Kai-Iwi. Buildings.—The principal contracts undertaken during, the year were for new schools at Mangaonoho, Euahine, Anderson Eoad, and Kai-Iwi; additions to schools at Maxwell, Feilding, Aramoho, and Mangaweka; new residences at Apiti and Birmingham, and additions to the Hunterville residence. The timber for the Kawatau School was cut and stacked in April, but was washed away by the floods, A second lot "has been cut, and a contract for the erection of the school has subsequently been let. The old Goat Valley School and site were sold, and a fresh site, free of cost, was acquired at Kai-Iwi in a more desirable situation, upon which a new school has been erected. Besides .the above, works, fences, drains, and outhouses have been attended to as far as funds would admit. The Board's carpenter has also been fully occupied upon the erection of new schools at Awahou and Whakamara. Extensive repairs, alterations, or additions have been made to the