79

E.—l

Teachebs. —The number of teachers under the Board at the end of the year was fifty-seven, including nine head teachers, twenty-seven sole teachers, eleven assistants, and ten pupil-teachers. One of the assistants is employed in place of a pupil-teacher at a salary of a fourth-year pupilteacher. Scholaeships.—During the year seven scholarships have been in force, all the holders attending the secondary class of the Hokitika District High School. In addition seven have attended the same class on payment of half the usual fee, in consideration of having qualified at a previous examination by securing 60 per cent, of the total marks. At the examination held at the end of the year there were twenty-four candidates, of whom seventeen obtained the requisite number of marks to qualify for a scholarship. The three heading the list have been awarded scholarships tenable for two years, two of £17 10s. and one of £8. Finance. —During the year the Board has expended £604 4s. 9d. in connection with the Building Fund. The receipts consist of the ordinary vote of £750 and a vote for schools in newly settled districts of £137. A credit balance of £246 15s. 4d. is shown by the balance-sheet, but considerable expenditure has been authorised but not presented for payment at the end of the year. The General Account shows a debit balance of £166 11s. 7d. As the debit balance at the end of the previous year was £209 2s. 2d., and the Board has received a special grant for district high schools of £200, the net result of the year's operations is a loss of £157 9s. sd. It has been sufficiently demonstrated in previous reports of the Board that the salaries of teachers and other expenditure have been reduced as much as possible, and that the cause of the difficulties experienced lies in the large proportion of aided schools. While the Board is grateful for the special assistance received during the year, the members hope that a general scheme will be adopted whereby an equitable distribution of the capitation will be provided. I have, &c, John McWhirter, Chairman. The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington.

General Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1900. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. Government grant for buildings .. .. 887 0 0 Balance — £ s>. d. Government statutory capitation .. .. 4,282 10 0 General Account .. .. .. 209 2 2 Scholarship grant .. .. .. 85 16 9 Building Acoount .. .. .. 35 19 11 Inspection subsidy .. .. .. 150 0 0 Office staff—Salaries .. .. .. 352 0 0 Grants for manual and technical instruction 18 11 6 Departmental contingencies— Grant for District High Sohool .. .. 200 0 0 General Account .'. .. .. 104 13 9 District High School fees .. .. 183 7 6 I Building Account .. .. .. 23 11 3 Other receipts— ' Inspector's travelling-expenses .. .. 84 16 6 Book sale 3 .. .. .. .. 012 6 Examination o£ pupil-teachers .. .. 815 6 Interest on fixed deposits .. .. 310 0 Teachers' salaries and allowances (includRents .. .. .. .. 12 15 0 ing rent, bonus, &o.) .. .. .. 4,164 12 7 Subsidy from High Sohool Board .. 100 0 0 Incidental expenses of schools .. .. 161 17 4 Deposits on tenders .. .. .. 4 0 0 Scholarships— Balance— £ s. d. Paid to soholars .. .. .. 88 15 6 Dr. On General Account .. 452 9 5 Examination expenses.. .. .. 10 10 0 Unpresented cheques .. 85 19 8 School buildings— Improvements of buildings .. .. 321 3 1 538 9 1 Furniture and appliances .. .. 141 14 11 Less amount paid into County Sites.. .. .. .. .. 110 12 0 Account in error, since re- Plans, supervision, and fees .. .. 7 3 6 covered .. .. .. 371 17 6 Payments to Committees .. .. 18 11 6 166 11 7 Deposits returned .. .. .. 4 0 0 Balance—On Building Account .. .. 246 15 4 £6,094 14 10 £6,094 14 10 John McWhirter, Chairman. A. J. Moeton, Secretary. Examined and found correct. — J, K. Waebdrton, Controller and Auditor-General.

REPORT ON THE HOKITIKA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL. This class is composed of twenty-seven pupils, including eleven in the first year, nine in the second year, and seven in the third year. Of those in the first and second years seven are holders of scholarships under the Board, and one of these holds a scholarship under the Victoria College, Wellington. The number of pupils receiving instruction in the various subjects is as follows :—

12—E, 1,

Subject. First Year. Second Year. Third Year. Total. English Latin Algebra Euclid French Geography ... Arithmetic ... Chemistry ... 11 11 10 4 2 L0 11 7 9 8 9 5 <2 8 9 7 7 5 7 I 0 7 7 o 27 24 26 16 4 25 27 19