E.—l

XVII

was as follows : Auckland, 53 ; Taranaki, 10 ; Wanganui, 26 ; Wellington, 31 ; Hawke'sc Bay, 32;! Marlborough, 5; Nelson, 13; Grey, 7; Westland, 3; North Canterbury, 17 ; South Canterbury, 9 ; Otago, 38 ; Southland, 8 ; sections attached to corps, 12 : total, 264. The number of battalions formed was 28. The number of models on issue to'the Boards at the end of the year was 12,450, and of miniature rifles, 950. At the end of the year the companies in the North and South Islands respectively competed for two challenge shields presented by the Government. The conditions were that each competing squad should consist of ten cadets, all belonging to the same company or detachment; each company to have seven shots at 100 yards (standing), 150 yards (kneeling), and 200 yards (lying), the local range being used in each case. The North Island shield was won by the Onehunga Cadet Company with the very high score of 735 out of a possible 840 ; the South Island shield was won by the Waimate Company with a score of 642. Valuable presentations for competition in rifle shooting by the cadets have been made by the Colonial Ammunition Company and the directors of the Weekly Press. The expenditure for the year 1905 was £5,704 9s. 7d., made up as follows :— £ b. d. £ s. d. Salary of Commanding Officer .. .. .. 307 10 0 Clerical assistance .. .. .. .. .. 171 13 6 Travelling-expenses of Commanding Officer .. .. 262 5 7 741- 9 1 Capitation .. .. .. .. .. 1,435 15 0 Arms, accoutrements, ammunition, &c. £3,594 19 5 Less recoveries .. .. 496 14 9 3,098 4 8 Rent, &c, of rifle ranges .. ~ .. .. 135 14 1 Railway fares of cadet corps .. .. .. 151 511 Contingencies .. . .. .. .. 518 4 4,872 8 0 '" Instructors of teachers' classes .... .. .. 36 5 0 Railway fares of teachers attending instruction classes, and of instructors .. .. .. .. .. 54 7 6 90 12 6 5,704 9 7 Railway Passes, etc., for School-children. In 1905 £5,801 12s. Bd., made up as follows, was paid for conveyance of schoolchildren—viz., railway fares of pupils attending public schools, £1,764 ; of pupils attending private schools, £821 r 10s. ; of pupils attending district high schools, £1,066 45.; of pupils attending' secondary schools, £1,301 10s.; and of holders of technical scholarships, £489 ; grants for conveyance of children by road and water—• to Auckland Education Board, £26 ; Wellington Board, £5 ; North Canterbury Board, £8 13s. 4d.; South Canterbury Board, £113 Bs. 4d. ; Otago Board, £180 75.; and Southland Board, £26. Chatham Islands. During the year 1905 four schools were in operation in the Chatham Islands. These schools comprise (1) Te One, the main school in the centre of Chatham Island ; (2) Moreroa, a part-time school five miles north of Te One ; (3) Matarakau and (4) Kaingaroa, two small part-time schools situated on the northern shore of the island. Matarakau and Kaingaroa are worked in conjunction with Moreroa. An itinerant teacher manages these three part-time schools. The main school at Te One is staffed by a certificated teacher and two pupil-teachers. The total number on the rolls of all the schools at the end of 1905 was 91, a decrease of 2 compared with 1904, while the average attendance was 72, the same as the previous year.

iii—E. 1.