E.—l2

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ASHBURTON HIGH SCHOOL. Staff. Mr. J. S. Tennant, M.A., B.Sc.; Mr. C. F. Salmond, M.A. ; Miss M. Connon, M.A.; Mr. T. W. Sandford; Mr. R. Meechan. 1. General Statement of Accounts for the Year ended 31st December, 1904.

Receipts. t t. d. Government Capitation— For free places .. .. .. 403 5 0 For manual and technical instruction .. 28 13 4 Current income from reserves .. .. 588 11 3 School fees .. .. .. .. 97 13 0 [ Refund of law costs .. .. .. 110 £1,119 3 7

Expenditure. £ s. d. Overdraft at beginning o( year .. .. 194 17 3 Office salary .. .. .. .. 26 6 0 Other office expenses .. .. .. 4 3 1 Other expenses of management.. .. 11 17 2 Teachers' salaries and allowances .. 636 5 0 Prizes .. .. .. .. •• 550 Printing, stationery, and advertising .. 16 5 0 Cleaning, fuel, light, &c.. .. .. 43 19 3 Fencing, repairs, &c. .. .. .. 20 15 3 Miscellaneous (rates, &c.) .. .. 510 6 Interest on current account .. .. 13 7 0 Woodwork classes .. .. .. 28 13 4 Instruction physical culture .. .. 20 0 0 Trap-hire .. .. .. .. 15 0 Furniture and freight .. .. .. 36 14 7 Breaking-up expenses .. .. .. 212 0 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 51 8 2 £1,119 3 7

Geo. B. Inglis, Chairman. John Davison, Secretary. Examined and found correct. —J. K. Warburton, Controller and Auditor-General. 2. Work of the Highest and Lowest Classes. Highest. —English — King Lear; L'Allegro ; II Penseroso ; Lycidas; Nesfield's Grammar. Latin—Principia Latina; Sight Translations; Gallic War, Books I. and 111. ; iEneid, Book 11. French—Chardenal, Book II.; Hachette's French Reader ; Hachette's French Prose. Arithmetic The subject as for Junior University Scholarship Examination. Algebra—Hall and Knight, to page 317 ; graphs. Geometry—Baker and Bourne, Books I. to IV. Roman History —Merivale and Puller. Geography—As for Matriculation Examination. Trigonometry—Pendlebury, to page 94. Drawing—Freehand, model, and geometrical, as for matriculation. Science—Botany as for matriculation. Lowest. —English—Nature in New Zealand (Drummond) ; The Globe Poetry-book (Macmillan); Nesfield's Grammar. Latin—Principia Latina. French—Methode Naturelle (Hogben). Arithmetic—As for Junior Civil Service Examination. Algebra—To simple equations. Geometry Baker and Bourne, Books I. and 11. Geography—Standard VI. ; South America. History— History of British Colonial Empire. Botany—Root, stem, leaf, flower, and fruit. Book-keeping Elements of ordinary double entry as for Junior Civil Service Examination. Shorthand — Pitman's Teacher. Drawing—Freehand and geometrical. Woodwork—Department's programme first year. Sewing—Advanced plain needlework. TIMARU HIGH SCHOOL. Staff. Boys' School—Mr. G. A. Simmer.-, M.A.; Mr. R. H. Rockel, M.A.; Mr. G. T. Palmer; Mr. W. H. N. Amos Sergeant-Major T. Jones. Girls' School—Miss B. M. Watt, M A.; Miss J. Mulholland, M.A. ; Miss C. M. Cruickshank, M.A., B.Sc.; Miss E. M. Reid; Miss K. O'Biien ; Sergeant-Major Jon-s. 1. Report of the Board of Governors. The personnel of the Board is the same as for the preceding year. Again the work of the boys' school has been greatly interfered with by numerous staff changes. The Board regrets that its popular headmaster, Mr. G. A. Simmers, was so ill during the year that he was compelled to absent himself from work on several occasions, and that finally, by direction of his medical advisers, he had to ask for extended leave in order to take a trip to the Old Country. On the whole the efficiency of the Girls' school has been well maintained, and the Board has reason to be more than satisfied with the progress made, and with the results of the various examinations in which the school has been represented. The Board regrets that the Department has not yet made arrangements for a regular and systematic examination of secondary schools. The attendance at the schools has again materially increased, the numbers for the last term of the year being—boys, 93 ; girls, 95 ; showing increases of 21 and 22 respectively over those of 1903. The numbers of free pupils included in the above are —boys, 85 ; girls, 75; total, 160 ;so that the number of pupils that paid fees for the last term was only 28. The increased attendance has been such as to tax the capacity of the present buildings to the utmost, and, if there is in the future a further increase it will be necessary either to add to the present structure, or, what would be preferable, to build a new and separate institution for the girls in some other part of the town. This matter has engaged the attention of the Board during the year, and also the question of providing a boardinghouse.