69

E. 1

Teachers.—The classification of teachers in the Board's service, according to the usual table, gives : Head of school—sl males, 11 females; sole teacher—lB males, 51 females ; assistant—3o males, 59 females; pupil-teachers—2o males, 151 females : total, 119 males, 272 females. Sewingteachers, 9. Attendance.—At the close of the year there were 14,031 children on the books of the different 5ch0015—7,256 males and 6,775 females; an increase of 159 males and 279 females as compared with last year. The working average for the different quarters was: 11,692 in March, 11,839 in June, 11,818 in September, and 11,785 in December. Buildings.—The Board has been seriously hampered in its efforts to meet the demands of the rapidly increasing population in the City, and in the new settlements springing up in the Pahiatua and Wairarapa North Counties. A very large portion of the annual building grant is needed to keep pace with the growing population. Many of the schools have had to be enlarged, and there can be no doubt that increased accommodation will have to be provided in many of the special-settlement centres; while the yearly needs for maintenance of existing buildings in no way decrease. The principal items of expenditure for the past year are for new schools at Makairo, Pongaroa, Coonoor, Mangahao, Scarborough, Makuri, Mangamahoe, Kaiparoro, Wairere, Dreyers Eock, Mikimiki, Greytown, Kahautara, Tauherenikau, Taita (to replace the old school which was burnt), Worser's Bay, Hukanui, and Tane, and in the purchase of a site for a school at Eoseneath. Considerable improvements have been made to the schools at Ngaturi, Tiraumea, Waikanae, Eikiorangi, Ohariu, Terrace, Mount Cook Boys', and Mitchelltown, and additions have been provided at Ballance, Taueru, Nireaha, Hastwell, and Levin. The Opaki School and residence had to be removed to a more central position near the railway-station. The total expenditure amounted to £6,505 ss. Bd., made up as follows : New buildings, £3,101 Bs. 2d.; improvements of buildings, £2,445 10s. sd. ; furniture and appliances, £520 45.; sites, £205 16s. Bd.; plans, supervision, and fees, £232 6s. sd. In addition to which contracts were let for several works, the payments for which will be made during the first months of the current year. The payment of the balance due to the contractors for the erection of the Board's office and Technical School will relieve the Board of the amount which has had to be provided annually to meet the charge for interest on account of this contract. In addition to the grant for school buildings, amounting to £5,300, the Board received special grants of £360 for schools in new districts, £200 for schools in farm settlements, and the sum of £131 14s. 6d. on account of the sale of the old school property at Petone, and sale of timber on education reserve. Maori Children.—The number of Maori and half-caste children attending the schools were : Maori—s6 males, 46 females; half-castes living as members of a Native tribe—l 2 males, 10 females; half-castes living among Europeans—2B males, 19 females. In twenty one schools there were Maori or half-caste children on the rolls. Pupil-teachers.—The annual examination of pupil-teachers was held in December last. Of the thirty-four senior pupil-teachers who presented themselves three failed to obtain higher classification. Of the junior, eleven out of thirty-eight failed to obtain promotion. There are now 172 pupil-teachers in the Board's service, sixty-two of whom have passed all their examinations, and are classed as ex-pupil-teachers; fifteen are in the fifth year, thirty-one in the fourth year, seventeen in the third year, twenty-one in the second year, and twenty-six in the first year. Scholarships.—For the purpose of having a more equitable competition for the scholarships among the different schools, the Board decided to distribute the special grant into classes according to the average attendance of the schools. It was felt that pupils from the smaller schools were placed at a disadvantage when competing with those in the larger schools, whose teachers of the higher standards were not called upon to devote so much of their time to other work of the school, and more especially in those schools where the teachers have been able to devote a large amount of special attention to scholarship work. With a view to equalization of the claims of the different schools, the following was the basis agreed upon as best calculated to bring about the desired result: (1.) Twelve scholarships of the annual value of £15, open to all children attending schools within the City of Wellington; (2) three scholarships of the annual value of £35, open to all children attending schools beyond the boundaries of the City of Wellington, where the average, for the quarter preceding the date of the examination, shall exceed 200; (3) two scholarships of the annual value of £35, open to all children attending schools where the average attendance for the quarter preceding the date of examination shall exceed 100 and not exceed 200 ; (4) three scholarships of the annual value of £35, open to all children attending schools where the average attendance for the quarter preceding the date of the examination shall not exceed 100. Should any winner of a scholarship under clauses (2), (3), or (4), be able to reach the College or the Girls' High School by daily train or coach, or if such winner reside within a radius of four miles from the Post Office, or in Vogeltown or Kilbirnie, the scholarship shall be of the annual value of £15, with an allowance to cover train or coach fares. The result of the first examination held under these conditions fully bears out the justice of the arrangement. The total number of candidates in all classes was 166, representing forty-four schools, distributed as follows: For the twelve scholarships in Class A, ninety-five candidates from eight schools presented themselves for examination, and of these thirty-nine obtained half marks in English and arithmetic. For the three scholarships in Class B, there were thirty-two candidates, from six schools, and of these fourteen obtained half marks in English and arithmetic. For the two scholarships in Class C, there were only seven candidates, from three schools. For the three scholarships in Class D, there were thirty-two candidates, from nineteen schools. Of these, fifteen qualified for a place. Of the total number of candidates in all classes, seventy-five obtained the necessary number of marks in English and arithmetic to qualify for a place on the list. The work done is highly spoken of by the examiners in their report.