E.—l2

28

Our contributions in the interests of the Waimate District High School amounted to close on £200, and included such items as £80 for the better staffing of the secondary department, scholarships, £40; fees for enabling promising pupils under the Sixth Standard to secure some measure of secondary education, £30 ; prizes for secondary scholars, gold medal, &c, about £10. Our opinion is that our co-operation with the Education Board and the committee of the District High School is of material advantage to those bodies, and is much appreciated. We beg to say, however, if it is proper for us to refer to the matter at all, that any attempt to raise the standard of attainment for free places in the high schools, such as substituting a more rigid certificate of proficiency for an ordinary Sixth Standard certificate of competency, would considerably—especially in the case of outside country schools—reduce the numbers of those who would gladly avail themselves of secondary education. 2. General Statement of Accounts for the Year ended 31st December, 1904.

Receipts. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. 1,873 11 7 Current income from reserves .. .. 205 16 4 Interest on moneys invested .. .. 78 0 0 Interest on fixed deposit .. .. .. 14 4 7 £2,171 12 6

Expenditure. £ s. d. Salary of Secretary .. .. .. 12 12 0 Office expenses .. .. .. .. 2 0 0 Other expenses of management .. .. 18 4 0 Teachers'salaries and allowances.. .. 80 0 0 Scholarships .. .. .. .. 40 12 6 Exhibitioners' fees .. .. .. 30 0 0 Printing, stationery, and advertising .. 812 6 Interest on current acoount .. .. 0 4 0 Balanoe at end of year .. .. .. 1,979 7 6 £2,171 12 6

Geo. Barclay, Chairman. G. H. Graham, Secretary. Examined and found correct.—J. K. Warburton, Controller and Auditor-General. WAITAKI HIGH SCHOOL. Staff. Boys' School.— -Dr. J. R. Don, D.Sc, M.A., F.C.S., F.G.S. ; Mr. W. G. Grave, M.A.; Mr. G. Uttley, M.A. ; Mr. G. J. Park ; Sergeant-Major Kibblswhite. Girls' School. — Miss C. Ferguson, M.A. ; Miss V. M. Greig, M.A. ; Miss M. O. Cunninghame, 8.A.; Miss M. G. McCaw ; Sergeant-Major Kibblewhite. 1. Report of the Board of Governors. Boys' School. —The Board has again to thank the Minister for his liberality in granting a subsidy of pound for pound towards the erection of new class-rooms. Friends and old pupils of the school, seeing the great want of room, liberally contributed over £400 towards the cost, thus enabling the Board to provide the necessary room, and it is confidently anticipated that the three new rooms in course of erection will be ready for occupation at the beginning of the second term. Girls' School. —The new school was opened at the beginning of the year, and has met with all requirements giving entire satisfaction to the Lady Principal and her staff, and has been fully appreciated by the pupils who are enabled to pursue their studies with a greater degree of comfort and success. Excellent work continues to be done at both schools. The Governors note with pleasure the advantage that has been taken of the free places granted under " The Secondary Schools Act, 1903," and congratulate the Minister on his foresight in providing free secondary education in the colony. 2. General Statement of Accounts for the Year ended 31st December, 1904.

Receipts. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. 338 1 8 Government grant for buildings, &o. .. 975 0 0 Government capitation for free places .. 445 6 8 Current income from reserves .. .. 1,091 6 0 Paid by School Commissioners .. .. 146 1 11 School fees (Boys, £608 10s.; girls, £183 155.) .. .. .. .. 792 5 0 Interest on scholarship deposit .. .. 7 0 0 Contractors' deposit .. .. .. 3 7 0 Amount recovered for cost of fenoing .. 212 6 £3,801 0 9

Expenditure. £ s. d. Office salaries .. .. .. .. 87 10 0 Law costs .. .. .. .. 6 6 0 Other expenses of management .. .. 12 1 6 Ranger .. .. .. .. 22 10 0 Teachers'salaries and allowances .. 1,468 6 8 Prizes.. .. .. .. .. 5 10 0 Printing, stationery, and advertising .. 35 11 7 Cleaning, fuel, light, &c. .. .. 91 18 7 From Government grants—Girls'school .. 913 2 8 Purchases and new works .. .. 405 5 0 Fencing, repairs, &c. .. .. .. 307 17 6 Miscellaneous (rates, &o.) .. .. 46 9 0 Drill Instruction .. .. .. 18 15 0 Refund of fees.. .. .. .. 40 0 0 Balance in bank at end of year .. .. 339 17 3 £3,801 0 9

Donald Borrie, Chairman. A. McKinnon, Secretary. Examined and found correct.—J. K. Warburton, Controller and Auditor-General. 3. Work of the Highest and Lowest Classes. Highest. — Boys : English—Nesfield's Grammar Past and Present; Higher-grade English (Blackie); Tutorial History of English Literature ; Penny Poets —Keats, Shelley, Burns, Coleridge, Chaucer, Spencer; Shakespeare, Tempest, Julius Csesar, King Lear, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet. Latin—Prseceptors' Latin Course (Tutorial Series) ; Bradley's Arnold; Livy, Books XXI.