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Junior Civil Service.— -C. E. Crawford, B. M. Watson, F. W. Furkert (Ist place), G. C. Bodda (Bth place), T. C. Bowe (21st place), Honora Crowley, Minnie Potts, J. C. Malfroy (18th place), P. J. Kelly, B. J. Crawford (17th place), Ada J. Dwyer, Johanna Crowley, W. Mcintosh, H. Linklater, E. J. Fitzgibbon (Ist place), E. J. Clarke, T. V. Mackay, J. Crowley, D. Sullivan, K. Han nan. Senior Civil Service. —E. J. Fitzgibbon. Kumaba (Secondaby Class). This class consists of ten pupils, of whom eight have been connected with it for about two years, and two for one year. Two were absent during the examination owing to illness. All those present had prepared the syllabus in all compulsory subjects, the instruction in algebra, Euclid, arithmetic, and geography being under the direction of the headmaster, and English and Latin under that of the first-assistant master, who also had charge of the optional subjects—chemistry (nine pupils) and French (one pupil) —with success. All the pupils examined, with one exception, exceeded 70 per cent, in the average percentage of total marks. The highest results obtained were those of two pupils with 95 and 91 per cent, respectively ; it is therefore evident that in all subjects the instruction has been very efficient. Although the course adopted in Latin, Euclid, and algebra was beyond the requirements of the syllabus appointed, the preparation has been thorough, and a very successful year's work must therefore be recorded. Of the ten pupils attending the class seven have presented themselves at the matriculation examination, and this is further evidence of the interest of all concerned in the work of the class. The following pupils have been successful in the examinations stated: — Matriculation (to December, 1897). —E. M. Stark, A. P. Owens. Junior Civil Service. —A. P. Owens (2nd place), E. Stark, W. Lamason. A. J. Moeton, Inspector.

NOBTH CANTEBBUBY. Sic,— Christchurch, Ist March, 1899. I have the honour to present the following report of the proceedings of the Education Board of the District of North Canterbury for the year ending the 31st December, 1898. The Boabd. —The three members who retired by rotation at the end of March were Mr. Hardy, Mr. Saunders, and Mr. Westenra. At a meeting held on the 30th March the Board placed on record its sense of the loss sustained by the retirement of Mr. Westenra, who did not offer himself for re-election. Mr. Hardy, Mr. Saunders, and Mr. M. Dalziel, jun., were returned to fill the vacancies. At a meeting held on the 7th April Mr. Saunders was elected Chairman for the ensuing year. During the year the Board held eighteen meetings, while the Buildings Committee met eighteen times, the Appointments Committee forty-one times, and the Normal School Committee thirteen times; in all, ninety meetings for the year. The Boaed's Bepbesentatives.—Mr. A. Orr and Mr. D. Williamson were re-elected as members of the Ashburton High School Board, and Mr. G. H. Saxton and Mr. H. Boyd were reappointed members of the Akaroa and Bangiora High School Boards respectively. School Distbicts. —The number of school districts at the end of the year in which school work has been carried on was 172. School Buildings.—Early in the year the erection of a side school at Hinds, of additions to Mackenzie and Hornby Schools, and of teachers' houses at Burwood and Waltham—all authorised about the close of 1897 —was completed. During the latter portion of the year a new school was also built at Ellesmere; and at the date of this report a large infant school, required for the new settlement round the freezing factory at Belfast, and teachers' houses at Highbank, Bushside, Doyleston, and Babbit Island, have either been finished or are nearing completion. Substantial repairs or improvements have been effected to many buildings. The number of schools in operation at the close of the year was 202, of which sixteen were aided schools. During the quarter ending the 30th June an aided school was opened at Big Bay, Kaituna; and in December the Lismore District School, which for some time previously had been regarded as an aided school, was placed on its old footing. The total expenditure on buildings during the year was £5,529 12s. sd. Maintenance.—The expenditure on teachers' salaries and allowances during the year amounted to £55,390 3s. lid., and the grants to School Committees, with the usual incidental allowances, to £6,933 lis. Id., reaching a total of £62,323 15s. The working average for the year was 17,545, but the average for the four quarters commencing with December quarter of 1897 — on which, in accordance with the usual custom, payments were actually made—was 17,684. The cost per head of teachers' salaries, Sec, was consequently nearly £3 2s. Bd., and the entire cost of maintenance, including all incidental expenditure, approximately £3 10s. 6d. per head. The following table shows the expenditure in salaries and incidentals for each year from 1878 inclusive [not all reprinted] : — „ Salaries. Incidentals. Totals. lear ' £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. 1878 ... ... 31,919 0 0 6,276 6 9 38,195 6 9 1888 ... ... 50,749 14 6 6,400 7 5 57,150 6 3 1898 ... ... 55,390 3 11 6,933 11 1 62,323 15 0 The total number of teachers in the Board's service at the end of 1898 (besides thirty-two sewing-mistresses) was 536. Of these, 232 (149 males and 83 females) were heads of schools or