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Geneeal Statement of Beceipts and Expenditube for the Year ending 31st December, 1898. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ a. d. To Balance— ' £ a. d. By Office staff—salaries .. .. 1,297 6 8 On General Account 5,074 10 10 Clerical assistance .. .. .. 110 4 6 Dr. Building Account 1,655 3 0 Departmental contingencies.. .. 815 511 3,419 710 Inspectors' salaries .. .. .. 2,125 10 11 Government grant for buildings .. 14,132 0 0 Inspectors'travelling expenses .. 722 11 0 Subscriptions and donations for build- Examination of pupil-teachers .. 67 5 9 ings and sites .. .. .. 65 0 0 Teachers' salaries and allowances (inOther receipts for buildings— eluding rent, bonus, &c.) .. .. 74,346 5 3 Government grants for rebuilding Incidental expenses of schools .. 10,245 510 Point Chevalier and Mullet Point Training of teaohers .. .. 130 6 6 Schools .. .. .. 596 0 0 Scholarships .. .. .. 1,561 13 4 Government grant for repairing School buildings— damage by fire, Driving Creek .. 14 5 6 New buildings .. .. .. 3,619 7 4 Sundry rents .. .. .. 20 6 8 Improvements of buildings .. 5,526 12 6 John Swansou, on Store Account .. 23 3 6 Furniture and appliances .. .. 1,212 10 3 Proceeds sales sundry items .. 5 12 6 Sites .. .. .. r. 958 8 5 Contribution, Te Aroha .. .. 310 0 Plans, supervision, and fees .. 558 8 2 Refunds, overpayments .. .. 19 9 Other expenses— Forfeited deposits .. ... 10 0 0 Truant officer .. .. .. 135 0 0 Government statutory capitation .. 85,627 16 7 Manual instruction classes .. 16 19 2 Scholarship grant .. .. .. 1,630 16 7 Balanoe — Inspection subsidy-- On Building Account .. .. 1,340 18 3 Ordinary .. .. .. 500 0 0 On General Account .. .. 2,580 3 1 Native schools .. .. .. 150 0 0 Grants in aid of manual instruction classes .. .. .. .. 16 19 2 Payments by School Commissioners .. 1,129 8 3 Contributions by Committees .. 11 0 0 Contributions by teaohers .. .. 6 17 Refunds of overpayments .. .. 7 411 £107,370 2 10 £107,370 2 10 Bichaed Hobbs, Chairman. Vincent Bice, Secretary. Examined and found correct—J. K. Waebueton, Controller and Auditor-General.

TABANAKI. Sic,— New Plymouth, 4th March, 1899. In accordance with the provisions of section 102 of " The Education Act, 1877," I have the honour to submit the following report of the Board's proceedings for the year ending the 31st December, 1898. The Boaed.—The Board for the year consisted of Mr. Bauchope (Chairman), Miss Hey wood, Messrs. Allsworth, Adlam, Cutfield, Faull, McAilum, Mackay, and Wade. The Board held twenty-three ordinary meetings and one special meeting during the year. The members who were appointed to serve on the various committees have been diligent in their attendance, and have devoted much time to the service of the Board, more especially those who were on the selection and finance committees. Schools.—Schools have been opened at Uriti, Whangamomona, and Durham Boad during the year, thus bringing the number of schools in operation up to sixty-three. The two former are in new buildings provided by the Board, and the latter in a building provided by the settlers. Teachees.—The number of teachers in the service of the Board at the end of the year was 138 —47 males, 91 females—as against 133 at the end of 1897.' The result of the examination of pupil-teachers was more satisfactory than that of the previous year; twenty-three presented themselves for examination, and seventeen passed. Four of the failures were pupil-teachers in their first year.Attendance.—The number on the roll at the end of the year was 3,981, as against 3,845 at the end of 1897, an increase of 136. The appointment of Truant Inspectors appeals to have had a beneficial effect, as the average attendance shows a marked increase, it now having reached 80-8 per cent., which, considering that a great part of our district is sparsely settled, is satisfactory. Buildings.—New schools have been erected at Uriti, Whangamomona, and Dudley Boad, the latter to replace a temporary building provided by the settlers. A large addition was made to the Okato School building, a teacher's residence was erected at Toko, and a large sum was expended in repairing and repainting buildings. A new school is now being erected at Denbigh Boad, which will be paid for out of the special grant of last year for schools in newly settled districts. The question of providing residences continues to be a matter of great urgency with the Board, and it seems impossible to provide them out of the ordinary building grant; nothing but a special grant for this purpose will enable the Board to provide this necessary addition to our schools. Steatfoed District High School.—The results have proved that the Board was justified in converting the Stratford School into a district high school. The average number attending the classes for secondary subjects last year was twenty-one, and this year has opened with an attendance of twenty-four. Scholaeships.—The first examination under the new regulations was held during the year. Eleven candidates presented themselves in the junior division, and,seven obtained scholarships. Thirteen were examined in the senior division, and six obtained scholarships. Two features of this examination are worthy of notice: First, that the first and second places in the junior division were taken by pupils from small schools; and, second, that seven of the thirteen