E.—l.

new school at Bast Takaka has been commenced, to take the place of one which, by reason of old age and decay, has become unfit for use ; and a great number of the usual grants out of the Building Fund have been made to School Committees for repairs and painting. The great reduction in the grants or allowances to School Committees, forced upon the Board by the very small capitation now received, will necessitate still more of these grants being made, as it is quite impossible for School Committees to do anything in the way of repairs and upkeep of buildings out of school funds; indeed, in a number of districts it was found almost impossible to prevail upon the householders to undertake the duties of School Committees under present financial conditions, and in three districts Commissioners had to be appointed because no School Committees could be formed. Technical Instruction —Cooking classes have been held during portions of the year in Nelson, Westport, and Eeefton, under the able management of Miss M. Tendall (diplomee of the National Training School of Cookery, London), and a considerable number of teachers have attended her Saturday classes; but, as it will be some considerable time before the teachers will be qualified to take up this subject in their regular school work, it is hoped that the present capitation will be continued after the end of the present year, so that the Board will be able to retain Miss Tendall's services, and also secure the services of other qualified teachers in the other centres of the education district. Miss Tendail found the work undertaken by her last year too great a strain on her strength, and it will be necessary to employ other teachers for the outside districts. Handwork in various forms is gradually being introduced into many of the Board's schools, modelling in plasticine being the work apparently held in most favour by the teachers. Board's Funds.—At the beginning of 1902 the Board's General Account showed a debit balance of £1,361 4s. Id., with liabilities £401 13s. At the end of the year there was a debit of £147 Is. 2d., with grants due from Government of £215 25., while the liabilities were £578 Is. 9d. There was a credit balance on Building Account of £823 2s. 4d., with £2,000 due from Government, and liabilities £810 16s. at the beginning of the year; while on the 31st December the credit balance was £1,406 10s. 9d., with a year's building grant due from Government, and the liabilities £2,319 Bs. Id. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. Geo. Talbot, Chairman.

General Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1902. Receipts. £ s. A. Expenditure. & s. d. Credit balance at beginning of year—On Dr. balance at beginning of year on General Building Account .. .. .. 823 2 4 Account ... .. .. .. 1,361 4 1 Government grant for buildings .. .. 2,145 0 0 Office staff—Salaries and clerical assistance 332 15 0 Other receipts for buildings— Departmental contingencies .. .. 524 15 2 Bank interest .. .. .. 15 0 0 Inspectors' salaries and travelling-expenses 757 2 0 Sale of old building .. .. .. 26 1 3 Scholarships— Rent of disused schoolroom .. .. 113 0 Paid to scholars .. .. .. 349 5 6 Other grants from Government— Examination expenses .. .. 22 12 0 Capitation for relieving-teachers .. 104 610 Training of pupil-teachers .. .. 53 7 0 Allowance, £250, and capitation at Teachers'salaries .. .. .. 19,073 14 11 Us. 3d. .. .. .. .. 2,909 10 5 Teachers'house allowances .. .. 444 11 8 Additiontostatutorycapitation—Balance, Pupil-teachers' lodging allowances .. 88 12 2 1901 .. .. .. .. 578 12 3 Incidental expenses of schools .. .. 1,017 8 2 Salaries and allowances of teachers and School buildings— pupil-teachers— New buildings .. .. .. 844 13 5 Net amount paid by Government .. 18,418 10 4 Improvements of buildings .. .. 573 12 8 Paid by School Commissioners—Re- Furniture and appliances .. .. 127 7 3 serves revenue .. .. .. 635 4 0 Rent of buildings used for school purScholarship grant at Is. 6d., one term of poses .. .. .. .. 3 12 0 1901 and four quarters 1902 .. .. 475 18 10 Sites, £13 10s. ; interest on balance of District High Schools—Capitation . . 372 10 0 purchase money, £15 .. .. 28 10 Manual and technical instruction— Insurance of workmen .. .. 5 12 6 Capitation for — Manual and technical instruction—• School classes .. .. .. 177 18 2 Salaries .. .. .. .. 187 18 0 Special classes—Manual and techni- Payments to teachers.. .. .. 24 13 7 cal instruction .. .. .. 14 11 0 Building-site, Reefton .. .. 100 0 0 Grants for— Apparatus .. .. .. .. 19 7 6 Rent of building .. .. .. 610 0 Material .. .. .. .. 84 011 Material.. .. .. .. 110 15 9 Rent .. .. .. .. 13 0 0 Instruction of teachers .. .. 125 0 0 Incidentals .. .. .. .. 7 7 0 Refunds .. .. .. 18 7 4 Other expensesGrants for rebuilding schools destroyed Refund contractors' deposits .. .. 48 0 0 by fire .. .. .. .. 5 0 0 Purchase of school-books .. .. 290 7 4 Grants for other purposes—New Zealand .Interest on overdraft .. .. .. 2 6 8 ensigns .. .. .. .. 6 0 0 Credit balance at end of year on Building Payments by School Commissioners—For Account .. .. .. .. 1,406 10 9 secondary education .. .. .. 168 15 0 Manual and technical instruction— Fees and sale of cooked dishes .. 5 13 4 Voluntary contributions .. .. 99 17 6 Other receipts— Sale of school-books .. .. .. 348 15 5 Various refunds .. .. .. 713 11 Contractors' deposits .. .. .. 44 19 0 Dr. balance at end of year—■ General Account .. .. .. .. 147 i 2 £27,792 7 3 £27,792 7 3 Stead Ellis, Secretary. Examined and found correct.— J. K. Waeburton, Controller and Auditor-General.

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