E.—ll.

2. General Statement of Accounts for the Year ending 31st December, 1897. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance .. .. .. .. 1,480 6 0 By Office salary .. .. .. 15 15 0 Current income from reserves .. 209 5 1 Postages, &c. .. .. .. 2 2 0 Interest on moneys invested and on un- South Canterbury Education Board, for paid purchase-money .. .. 12 10 0 teachers' salaries .. .. .. 150 0 0 Interest on fixed deposits .. .. 38 8 0 Examinations—Examiners' fees .. 5 5 0 Other expenses .. 3 3 0 Scholarships .. .. .. 25 0 0 Prizes " .. .. .. .. 816 0 Printing, stationery, and advertising .. 11 2 8 Cleaning, fuel, light, &c. .. .. 10 0 Interest .. .. .. .. 0 7 0 Endowments —Proceeds invested .. 500 0 0 High School pupils' fees and railway passes paid by Board .. .. 62 10 0 Members'travelling-expenses.. .. 8 10 0 Solicitor .. .. .. .. 0 10 6 Exchanges .. .. .. .. 0 3 6 Balance .. .. .. 946 6 5 £1,740 9 1 £1,740 9 1 W. Coltman, Chairman. G. H. Graham, Secretary. Examined and found correct.—J. K. Warburton, Controller and Auditor-General.

WAITAKI HIGH SCHOOL. 1. Beport of the Board. It is pleasing to note that the attendance at both schools shows a satisfactory increase. There have been some changes in the teaching staff of the Boys' School. Mr. W. G. Grave was promoted to the position of first assistant vice Mr. D. A. Watt, who was appointed pro tempore in 1896. Mr. B. L. Mcllroy, M.A., was chosen out of several applicants as second assistant. The Board decided to appoint a visiting sewing- and drawing-mistress at the Girls' School, and Miss McCaw was the successful applicant. Sergeant-major MePherson was also appointed drill-instructor. The schools and outbuildings have undergone considerable repair. The gymnasium was fitted with additional appliances, and the floor covered with several loads of logwood. The grounds surrounding the schools have been carefully attended to, the gorse and plantations having been grubbed and thoroughly cleaned. The Eector, with the assistance of the Governors, has during the past year fitted up a chemical laboratory at some considerable cost, and appliances for same were imported from England. The swimming-baths were thoroughly cleaned, the bottom paved with shingle, and fresh water laid on from the Oamaru mains. A substantial fence was erected round them. The Mayor and several citizens of Oamaru, with Mr. John Eeid, of Elderslie, presented a set of meteorological instruments, including one maximum and two minimum wet- and dry-bulb hygrometers, a Tortin barometer, a Snowdon rain-gauge, and an anemometer. These have been placed in position at the Boys' School, and observations are taken by the scholars themselves, under Dr. Don's supervision, and monthly reports thereon supplied to the local newspapers for publication. At the University examinations nine pupils of the school—five boys and four girls —qualified for matriculation, and one boy for the medical preliminary. Four boys passed the Junior Civil Service examination. Two scholarships have been awarded, one to a boy and one to a girl, on the result of the last Junior Scholarship examinations. The amount of £250 has been paid off the mortgage, which now stands at £750. George E. Hislop, Secretary.

2. General Statement of Accounts for the Year ending 31st December, 1897. Receipts. £ a. d. Expenditure. £ a. d' To Balance .. .. .. .. 800 5 7 By Secretary .. .. .. .. 57 1 0 Current income from reserves.. .. 1,212 2 2 Valuator .. .. .. .. 19 19 6 Interest on moneys invested and on un- Incidentals.. .. .. .. 28 1 10 paid purchase money .. .. 13 8 0 Teachers'salaries and allowances .. 1,273 16 10 Paid by School Commissioners .. 59 7 8 Prizes .. .. .. .. 2 2 0 School fees .. .. .. .. 425 510 Printing, stationery, and advertising .. 76 9 3 Donation, laboratory .. .. 50 0 0 Cleaning, fuel, light, &o. .. .. 93 16 1 Interest, Macandrew Scholarship Fund 9 0 0 Site and buildings .. .. .. 171 18 6 Fencing, repairs, &c... .. .. 44 13 9 Rents, insurance, and taxes .. .. 26 2 6 Interest .. .. .. .. 61 12 0 Solicitors' fees .. .. .. 23 18 8 Expenses of survey, sales, management, &c. .. ~ .. .. 14 8 8 Loan .. .. .. .. 250 0 0 Petty cash .. .. .. .. 18 10 6 Rent overpaid .. .. .. 2 0 0 Balance .. ~ .. .. 405 0 0 £2,569 11 1 £2,569 11 1 Donald Borrie, Chairman. George E. Hislop, Secretary, Examined and found correct.—J. K. Warburton, Controller and Auditor-General,

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