E.—l

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The Board did not accept the invitation to be represented at the Conference of Education Boards which took place at Wellington in August last, believing that too short a time had elapsed since January, 1902, to form a mature judgment upon the new financial and other arrangements created by the passing of the Teachers' Salaries Act, and that any needed change or modification would of itself in due course command the attention of Government. The Department has shown every consideration in its dealings with the Board, many of the complications attached to the scheme of manual and technical classes have been removed, and the Board is encouraged to hope that the existing defects in the colonial scale may soon be remedied. The Board gratefully acknowledges the cordial co-operation of School Committees throughout the district during the past year. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. Jambs Muib, Chairman.

Genekai Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditube for the Year ending 31st December, 1902. Receipts. £ a. d. I Expenditure. £ s. d. Government grant for buildings .. 11,404 5 0 Dr. balance at beginning of year .. 139 18 11 Proceeds sales of buildings and sales Office staff —Salaries and clerical assistance 1,634 19 0 from store .. .. .. 354 13 1 Departmental contingencies .. .. 1,025 15 1 Bents of sites and buildings .. .. 19 8 6 Inspectors'salaries and travelling-expenses 3,219 10 0 Contributions by Committees .. 60 0 3 Truant Officer's salary and expenses .. 212 14 2 Refund of overpayment .. .. 0 8 8 Drill Instructors .. .. .. 223 310 Other grants from Government— Believing teachers .. .. .. 401 15 1 Capitation for relieving-teachers .. 546 5 0 Examination of pupil-teachers .. 58 18 9 Allowance, £250, and capitation at Scholarships— 11s. 3d .. .. .. 14,028 6 0 Paid to scholars .. .. .. 1,670 0 0 Addition to statutory capitation— • Examination expenses .. .. 77 4 0 Balance, 1901 .. '.. .. 1,71818 Training of teachers .. .. .. 139 14 11 Salaries and allowances of teachers and j Teachers' salaries .. .. .. 88,400 13 6 pupil-teachers— Teachers'house allowances .. .. 2,667 10 0 Net amount paid by Government .. 88,950 12 6 Pupil-teachers'lodging-allowances .. 811 1 8 Paid by School Commissioners .. 2, 625 0 0 Incidental expenses of schools .. .. 6, 435 10 1 Bent of teacher's house at Devon- Bent of school buildings .. .. 67 3 0 port .. .. .. 19 10 0 School buildings— Scholarship grant .. .. .. 2,117 16 8 New buildings .. .. .. 2,139 16 10 District High Schools—Grants .. 389 0 0 Improvements of buildings .. .. 6,922 12 10 Manual and technical instruction — Furniture and appliances .. .. 1,622 7 3 Capitation for— . Sites .. .. .. .. 251 17 0 School classes .. .. .. 12 7 6 Plans, supervision, and fees .. .. 554 9 4 Special classes— Manual and technical instruction — Continuation., .. .. 3 18 9 Salaries .. .. .. .. 518 10 0 Manual and technical instruction 121 1 9 Payments to Committees .. .. 40 6 6 Grants for— Apparatus .. .. .. .. 30 15 3 Bent of buildings .. .. 90 0 0 Material .. .. ... .. 65 10 1 Apparatus .. .. .. 317 6 Bent .. .. .. .. 75 0 0 Instruction of teachers .. .. 11 18 6 Incidentals (including cost advertising Fees for manual and technical instruction 178 5 0 for Director, &c, £40 2s. lid.) .. 74 10 1 Sales of material and tools .. .. 18 16 1 Credit balance at end of year— £ s. d. Truancy fines, &c. .. .. .. 37 11 5 On Building Account, £>»-. 1,156 18 6 GovernmentlnsuranceDepartment'scom- On General Account, Cr. 4,533 4 6 mission on premiums collected .. 10 6 1 — 3,376 6 0 Refunds of overpayments .. .. 113 3 Auckland Summer School fees .. .. 134 10 0 £122,857 13 2 £122,857 13 2 James Mum, Chairman. Vincent E. Eice, Secretary. Examined and found correct, except that two sums of £90 and £3 17s. 6d., granted by the Government to the Board under the authority of the appropriations out of the .Public Works Fund for school buildings, are accounted for as money received on General Account.— J. K. Waebueton, Controller and Auditor-General.

TARANAKI. Sib,— In accordance with the provisions of section 102 of " The Education Act, 1877," the Education Board of the District of Taranaki has the honour to submit the following report of its proceedings for the year 1902 : — The Boabd.—At the beginning of the year the Board was composed of the following members:—Duncan McAllum, Esq., (Chairman), Miss Heywood, Messrs. G. Adlam, E. G. Allsworth, W. L. Kennedy, H. Paull, B. A. Hignett, J. Mackay, and James Wade. Owing to illness Mr. B. A. Hignett resigned his seat, and Mr. Arthur Morton was elected to fill the vacancy. Messrs. G. Adlam, D. McAllum, and J. Wade retired in the terms of section 15 of the Education Act. Eight candidates were nominated for the vacancies, and the voting resulted in the re-election of Messrs. Adlam and Wade, and the election of Mr. John Taylor. Mr. McAllum declined to again offer himself for re-election. Owing to illness Miss Heywood. resigned, and Mr. D. H. McDonald was elected to fill the vacancy. Mr. Kennedy also resigned, and Mrs. Jane E. Dougherty was elected to fill the vacancy. At the first meeting of the Board, held in August, Mr. Allsworth was elected Chairman. The Board held twelve ordinary and four special meetings during the year.