E,—l2,

5

REPORTS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

AUCKLAND COLLEGE AND GRAMMAR SCHOOL. Staff. Mr. J. W. Tibbs, M.A.; Mr. W. J. Morrell, M.A.; Mr. J. P. Sloman, 8.A.; Mr. A. T. Harrison, M.A. ; Mr. J. G. Trevithick; Mr. P. Marshall, M.A. ; Mr. J. Hight, M.A.; Rev. J. K. Davis, M.A.; Mr. J. H. Turner, M.A.; Mr. H. J. D. Mahoii, B.A. ; Mr. R. A. MoCullough, M.A.; Miss E. G.Wallace; Miss P. A. Haultain; Miss A. C. Morrison, M.A.; Mias B. Blades; Miss W. Pieken, M.A.; Mr. K. Watkins; Mr. W. M. Oarrollo. 1. Repobt op the Boabd. Distinctions. —At the examination for University Junior Scholarships in December, 1897, three pupils of the school—viz., M. Walher, and Misses M. B. Pickmere and F. I. Patterson — gained scholarships, while five others passed "with credit." Seventeen passed the Matriculation examination, five the Civil Service senior examination, and twenty the Junior examination. Seven pupils gained Senior District Scholarships awarded by the Auckland Education Board. Of former pupils of the school, R. C. Maclaurin gained a Fellowship and the MacMahon Law Studentship at St. John's College, Cambridge, and has since been appointed to the Chair of Mathematics at Victoria College, Wellington. W. J. Barclay gained first-class honours in four and C. C. Choyce in two of the examinations of the Medical School of the University of Edinburgh. B. E. Myers graduated M.B. and CM. at Edinburgh, and B. J. Dudley, 8.A., with honours in natural science, at the University of Cambridge. At the University of New Zealand senior scholarships were won by P. H. Watts for mathematics and R. W. Allen for chemistry. The Girls' School. —Since the last report the matter of the Girls' High School endowments has been settled by Parliament pretty much on the terms agreed on by the Board of Education and the Grammar School Board, but modified to sojne extent by the Government. The legal position of the £10,000 that had been produced under " The Auckland Girls' High School Act, 1878," is now laid down under the following section of " The Reserves, Endowments, and Crown and Native Lands Exchange, Sale, Disposal, and Enabling Act, 1898": "11. Whereas by ' The Auckland Girls' High School Act, 1878,' the Auckland Girls' High School and its endowments were placed under the control and management of the Education Board of the Education District of Auckland (hereinafter called ' the Education Board') : And whereas in the year one thousand eight hundred and eighty-eight, by reason of want of funds, it became impossible for the Education Board to continue such school, and the work thereof was consequently undertaken, and has since been maintained, by the Board of Governors of the Auckland College and Grammar School (hereinafter called ' the Board of Governors'): And whereas the endowments of the Girls' High School, which have at all times remained under the control of the Education Board, have become productive, and it is equitable, and the Education Board agrees, that out of the produce of such endowments assistance to the extent and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth should be given in aid of the work of the Girls' High School now being maintained as aforesaid by the Board of Governors : Be it therefore enacted as follows : (1.) Out of the proceeds of the sale of timber on the land forming the said endowment the sum of ten thousand pounds shall be invested by the Education Board, and the interest arising from such investment shall by that Board be paid over to the Board of Governors. (2.) Of the moneys received as aforesaid each year by the Board of Governors, one-half shall be expended by that Board in scholarships for girls attending public schools under 'The Education Act, 1877,' within the Auckland Education District, subject to such conditions for the winners attending the Auckland Girls' High bchool and otherwise as the Education Board prescribes and the Minister of Education approves. (3.) The other half of the said moneys shall be applied by the Board of Governors first in or towards ■keeping down interest on mortgages in respect of buildings, and the residue in or towards defraying the cost of the work of the Girls' High School whilst maintained by that Board. (4.) The aforesaid payments by the Education Board shall continue to be made until a separate high school for girls is established by that Board under the provisions of ' The Auckland Girls' High School Act, 1878,' and shall thereafter be applied in manner prescribed by that Act." The Act was only passed on the sth November, 1898, but the Board of Education so assiduously applied itself to get the terms of the Act complied with that three scholarships of the value of £20 each were awarded at the Education Board Junior District Scholarship examination on the 20th December, 1898. These scholarships—designated " Auckland Girls' High School Scholarships " —were awarded to the three highest answerers at that examination. It is gratifying to know that these girls' scholarships have a currency of three years, and that the funds at the disposal of the Board of Education arising from this source will admit of three such girls' scholarships being awarded annually, so that after the next two years there will be always nine High School scholars in attendance at the Grammar School. Improvements. —During the year a substantial retaining-wall was erected along a portion of the school-ground fronting Wynyard Street, at a cost of £164 os. 6d. G. Maubick O'Roeke, Chairman.