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The Ward System.—This latest innovation in educational management appears to the Board to be an utterly useless, as well as a most mischievous " tinkering " with the Education Act. If any necessity for such experimental legislation existed in any of the large districts, there was not the slightest need for such a change in Marlborough, or, probably, in any of the smaller education districts. It cannot truthfully be said that any —even the most remote —portion of this district has had cause to complain of the neglect of its requirements. Every member of the Board has acted as though he were representing every part, as well as the whole of the district. No complaint of undue preference of one part, to the detriment of any other, has ever been heard in Marlborough. The change will introduce a most undesirable element of parochialism into the proceedings of the Board, and, judging by analogy with other representative institutions, a member will in future be valued according to the amount of money he can cause to be devoted to his particular ward, with little consideration for the welfare of the district as a whole. The change is particularly mischievous in this district, as it will give some Committees a most undesirable preponderance of influence in the election. For instance, one Committee, if its members are, as they probably will be, unanimous, will be able to outvote all the Committees in the same ward, although having control of over less than one-fifth of the children in that ward. This difficulty might have been avoided if the framers of the Act had shown the usual courtesy of consulting the Boards. On the whole, the Board is of opinion that this latest example of ill-advised legislation is calculated to diminish, if not entirely to destroy, the influence of the Boards. The report of the Board's Inspector, already forwarded, gives all the information required as to educational progress within the district. I have, &c, ; John Duncan, Chairman. The Right Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington.

General Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1905. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year— Staff salaries and clerical assistance .. 475 0 0 On General Account .. .. .. 185 16 3 Office contingencies .. .. .. 194 17 5 On Building Account.. .. .. 281 3 3 Teachers' and pupil-teachers' salaries, and Grants from Government for— allowances to pupil-teachers .. 6,630 12 11 Teachers' and pupil-teachers' salaries, and Relieving-teachers' salaries .. .. 516 2 allowances to pupil-teachers .. 6,467 9 11 Incidental expenses of schools (including Reserves revenue for primary education 300 0 0 subsidies on moneys raised locally and Capitation at 11s. 3d. and grant of £250 1,17119 0 grant to Gommittee of 9d.) .. .. 578 6 5 Capitation for relieving-teachers .. 40 19 6 Truant officers .. .. .. .. 41 0 0 Special grant for Committees .. .. 56 2 0 Gapitation, 9d. .. .. .. 56 2 0 Receipts from other sources— Scholarships and expenses of examination 145 0 0 Rents of school reserves .. .. 12 10 0 Manual and technical instruction — Sundry sales.. .. .. .. 2 16 6 School classes (needlework classes) .. 7 14 3 Truancy fines .. .. .. 4 110 Special classes (instruction of teachers).. 33 19 3 Grants from Government for— Managers of associated classes.. .. 139 15 10 Scholarships.. .. .. .. 141 1 5 Maintenance of school buildings— Grants from Government for manual and Repairs, repainting, &c. ~ .. 258 12 11 technical instruction — Plans and supervision.. .. .. 14 19 0 Needlework classes .. .. .. 714 3 Alterations and small additions .. 188 11 8 Capitation (general and scholarship) .. 37 10 10 House allowances .. .. .. 80 0 0 Instruction of teachers .. .. 133 3 4 Fencing reserve, Grassmere .. .. 4 10 6 Subsidies on voluntary contributions and New schools, additions, furniture, sites, &c. bequests .. .. .. . - 10 0 (North Bank) .. .. .. 128 15 3 Receipts from other sources — Buildings, class-rooms, furniture, &c, for Voluntary contributions .. .. 8 7 6 manual and technical purposes — Grants from Government for— Plans .. .. .. .. 23 5 6 Maintenance of buildings, rebuilding, &o. 451 0 0 Other expenses— House allowances .. .. .. 64 3 4 Land Sales Account .. .. .. 26 0 0 Teacher's house, Fairhall .. .. 240 0 0 Rent of side school .. .. .. 12 5 2 Refund of rent of side school for 1904 .. 26 0 0 Insurance of school buildings .. .. 817 9 Rent of old sohool buildings .. .. 12 8 0 Refunds .. .. .. .. 3 8 4 Sale of old residence, Tuamarina .. 12 10 0 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 645 0 8 Rent of Bide sohool .. .. .. 2 10 3 Okaramio Committee : Piano Fund .. 12 0 0 Other receipts— Prooeeds of sale of sites .. .. 26 0 0 la Refunds (various) .. .. .. 310 8 Sale of old wire .. .. .. 0 4 0 £9,702 11 0 £9,702 11 0 John Duncan, Chairman. 26th March, 1906. John Smith, Secretary.

NELSON. Sir,— Education Office, Nelson, sth April, 1906. I have the honour to lay before you a report of the proceedings of the Nelson Education Board for the year 1905. The Board. —At the annual election of three members of the Board the retiring members were re-elected, so that the ■personnel of the Board is the same as at the end of the previous year—viz., Messrs. W. N. Franklyn, T. J. Baigent, A. T. Maginnity, George Talbot (Chairman), J. D. Beuke, T. Bailie, H. Atmore, W. H. Phillips, and W. Lock. In the opinion of the Board the method of electing members of Education Boards as it has obtained during the last twenty-seven years was perfectly satisfactory,