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requirements of this district, unless Government makes some special provision to meet the liabilities already incurred and to satisfy the many pressing demands which are daily received. The Inspectors' report, which is forwarded for your information, will give of the progress of education in this district. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. Jas. W. Baker, Chairman.

General Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1897. Receipts. £ a. A. Expenditure. £ a. d. To Balance — £ s. d. . By Office staff—Salaries .. • .. 453 15 0 On Technical School .. 43 11 8 Members' expenses .. .. 150 19 2 On General Account .. 2,293 611 Departmental contingencies .. 235 13 6 Inspectors' salaries .. .. 700 0 0 2,336 18 7 Inspectors'travelling-expenses .. 270 0 0 Dr. Building Account 750 18 7 Examination of pupil-teachers .. 78 14 7 1,586 0 0 Teachers' salaries and allowances (inGovernment grant for buildings .. 4,268 13 3 eluding rent, bonus, &c.) .. .. 27,729 411 Other receipts for buildings— Incidental expenses of schools .. 1,484 16 7 Old materials sold .. .. 5 4 0 Training of teachers .. .. 101 15 5 Buildings and sites sold .. .. 110 0 0 Standard examination expenses .. 57 13 9 Sites leased .. .. .. 27 0 9 Scholarships— Government statutory capitation .. 29,578 18 7 Paid to scholars .. .. .. 446 13 4 Scholarship grant .. .. .. 524 14 7 Examination expenses .. .. 77 4 7 Inspection subsidy .. .. .. 300 0 0 School buildings— Training of teachers, fees received .. 24 19 0 New buildings .. .. .. 1,895 911 Payments by School Commissioners .. 1,810 7 10 Improvements of buildings .. 2,078 14 8 Truant inspection fines .. .. 3 12 0 Furniture and appliances.. .. 467 19 7 Contractors' deposits .. ... 87 15 9 Sites .. .. .. .. 238 811 Technical School — Plans, supervision, and fees .. 147 14 4 Government grant, special .. 200 0 0 Office additions .. .. .. 13 4 6 , general .. 65 19 3 Expenses of sites .. .. .. 419 0 School fees, Education Board .. 86 0 0 Contractors' deposits .. .. 159 17 9 „ General .. .. 67 15 0 Truant inspection .. .. .. 92 18 8 Contractors! deposits .. .. 34 7 0 Technical School— Interest on fixed deposit .. .. 8 0 0 Teachers' salaries .. .. 228 15 0 Rees Bequest .. .. .. 467 11 8 Fees paid by Board .. .. 86 0 0 Furniture .. .. .. 87 8 4 Scholarships .. .. .. 10 0 0 Building.. .. .. .. 488 8 0 Plans and supervision .. .. 22 1 0 General expenses .. .. .. 109 2 3 Contractors' deposits .. .. 27 10 0 Balance— £ a. A. On General Account 2,570 9 5 Less Building Account, Dr. .. .. 1,258 13 6 1,311 15 11 £39,256 18 8 £39,256 18 8 A. A. Browne, Secretary. Examined and found correct—J. K. Warburton, Controller and Auditor-General.

WELLINGTON. Sir,— Wellington, 31st March, 1898. In accordance with the provisions of " The Education Act, 1877," I have the honour to submit the following report of this Board for the year ended 31st December last. Board.—The members who retired on the 31st March last were Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Young, and the Eev. J. Paterson. The election to fill the vacancies thereby constituted resulted in the return of two retiring members, Mr. Young and the Eev. J. Paterson, and the election of Mr. A. W. Hogg, M.H.E. Mr. Fitzherbert did not offer himself for election. The Board, therefore, consisted of Messrs. J. E. Blair, W. C. Buchanan, M.H.E., F. Bradey, A. W. Hogg, M.H.E., W. W. McCardle, J. Eobertson, J. Young, Dr. Newman, and the Eev. J. Paterson. During the year the Board has held twelve regular meetings and one adjourned meeting; the attendance of the different members being: J. E. Blair, 11; W. C. Buchanan, 10; F. Bradey, 12; W. A. Fitzherbert, 1 (retired 31st March); A. W. Hogg, 9 (elected in April); W. W. McCardle, 10; Dr. Newman, 1 (absent from the colony during most of the year); Eev. J. Paterson, 9; J. Eobertson, 12 ; and J. Young, 12. The Finance Committee has met regularly each month previous to the meeting of the Board, when the accounts have been carefully examined previous to submission to the Board for authority for the expenditure required. The Committee appointed to deal with all matters affecting the Technical School have generally met previous to each Board meeting, and have done their utmost, on all occasions, to advance the welfare of that institution. Schools. —At the close of the year there were 131 schools under the control of the Board, of which number fifteen were carried on with the help of the special grant in aid given to enable advantage to be taken of the existing system of education in sparsely populated centres where the attendance would not justify the Board in providing school buildings. The classification of the schools on the basis of average attendance shows that eighteen had an average of less than 15 pupils ; fourteen, of between 15 and 20 pupils; fifteen, of between 20 and 25 pupils ; thirty-four, of between 25 and 50 pupils; fifteen, of between 50 and 75 pupils; seven, of between 75 and 100 pupils; nine, of between 100 and 150 pupils; eight, of between 150 and 300 pupils; four, of between 300 and 500 pupils; and seven over 500 pupils. New schools were opened at Hukanui, Wairere, Tane, Makairo Village Settlement, Konini, Pongaroa, Mikimiki, Bush Gully, Takapu, and Worser's Bay.