E.—l

75

Meetings of the Boaed.—During the year the Board has held twelve monthly, twelve adjourned, and one special meeting, the average attendance at each being 768. The October meeting of the Board was held in Westport, seven members again being able to attend. Members of the Board visited the schools at Granity Creek, Burnett's Pace, Waimangaroa, Cape Foulwind, and Denniston, the immediate outcome of the inspection of the latter school being a resolution to erect a new and more commodious one in a more favourable and central position at the earliest possible date. Westport Disteict High School. —The secondary classes of this school continue to do very satisfactory work. The number of pupils on the roll at the beginning of the year was twentyfive, and at its close twenty-six, the average for the year being being 255. Schools.—There were 127 schools at work during the year, and at the end of the year 124. Of the latter number, twenty-one were aided schools, with an average attendance at each of 152, and twenty-three were household schools, the average attendance at each being 55. Aided schools in this district are.managed by committees elected by the parents, and are carried on and treated exactly like district schools, the committees receiving the same quarterly allowances as committees in school districts, the only difference between the two being that aided school committees have no voice in the election of members of the Board. However, when an aided school has shown an average attendance of twenty or more for two successive quarters, a school district is usually constituted. School Disteicts.—One new school district has been constituted during the year—viz., Orinoco—which brings the total number up to sixty-seven. Attendance of Scholaes. —The average weekly number on the roll during the year 1899 was 5,913 ; during the past year it was 5,84475 : a decrease of 6825. The working average attendance during 1899 was 4,90075, and during the past year 4,84475, a decrease of 56. The continual fall in the average attendance, and the consequent shrinkage of the Board's income, is causing serious inconvenience, and is a matter for grave anxiety. School Buildings.—During the year no new school has been erected, but additions have been made to those at Dovedale and Progress. New houses have been built at Waimea West and Clifton Terrace, to replace old ones which, having been standing some fifty years, had become, by reason of the rotten state of the timber of which they were constructed, quite insanitary and unfit for habitation. Additions have been made to the teacher's house at Capleston, and £500 has been paid off' the debt on the site of the Central School in Nelson, while no less than £753 has been expended in smaller additions and general repair and upkeep of the Board's numerous wooden buildings. Boaed's Funds.—The balance to credit of the Board's General Account at the beginning of the year was £139 4s. 3d., with liabilities £192 45.; at its close there was a debit balance of £471 15s. 9d., with liabilities £144 Os. 10d. The Building Account at the beginning of the year had a credit balance of £1,480 145., with liabilities, inclusive of the debt on the Central School site, of £1,311 13s. 3d. ; at the end of the year the credit balance was £1,790 Bs. lid., and the total liabilities £2,181 13s. However, the building grant for the year, amounting to £2,000, had not then been received. I have &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. Geo. Talbot, Chairman.

General Statement of Beceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1900. Receipts. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance— £ s. d. Offioe Staff—salaries .. .. .. 300 0 0 On Building Account .. .. 1,480 14 0 Clerical assistance to Treasurer .. .. 5 5 0 On General Aocount .. .. .. 139 4 3 Departmental contingencies .. .. 424 5 10 Government grant for buildings .. 2,157 0 0 Inspectors'salaries .. .. .. 558 6 8 Subscriptions and donations for buildings 20 0 0 Inspectors' travelling-expenses .. .. 286 19 0 Other receipts for buildings— Truant Offioer's salary and expenses .. 32 11 0 Bank interest .. .. .. 15 0 0 Teachers' salaries and allowances (inoludOontractors'deposits .. .. .. 50 16 0 ing rent, bonus, &c.) .. .. .. 15,774 8 9 Government statutory capitation .. 17,418 4 1 Incidental expenses of schools .. .. 1,902 8 3 Scholarship grant .. .. .. 368 011 Training of teachers ~ .. .. 202 17 8 Inspection subsidy .. .. .. 300 0 0 Scholarships— Grants for manual and technical instruc- Paid to scholars .. .. .. 355 0 0 tion .. .. .. .. 5 7 6 Examination expenses .. .. 22 7 6 Payments by School Commissioners— School buildings— For primary education .. .. 856 10 0 New buildings .. .. .. 540 8 3 For seoondary education .. .. 112 10 0 Improvements of buildings .. .. 799 13 4 District High School fees .. .. 120 4 9 Furniture and applianoes .. .. 26 14 6 Other reoeipts— Contractors' deposits returned .. 38 0 0 From sale of school-books .. ~ 434 14 3 Sites .. .. .. .. 527 10 0 Refunds .. .. .. .. 718 4 Bank charges .. .. .. 015 0 Subscription to Patriotio Fund in error 7 11 9 Manual and teohnical instruction .. 15 2 3 Bent of school grounds .. .. 1 13 0 Purchase of school books .. .. 356 10 11 Eefund Patriotic Fund contribution .. 7 11 9 ! Balanoe .. .. .. .. 1,318 13 2 £23,495 8 10 £23,495 8 10 Gboege Talbot, Chairman. Stead Ellis, Secretary. Examined and found correct — J. K. Warbueton, Controller and Auditor-General.