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education. The General Administration Account—the funds which meet the working-expenses of the Board —had a debit balance of £94 19s. Bd. at the beginning of the year, and a credit balance at the end of the year of £118 17s. Id. This improvement in the finances enabled the Board increases to the salaries of the Inspectors. I have, &c, The Right Hon. the Minister of Education. Geo. Talbot, Chairman. General Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1905. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ p. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. 2,560 1 2 Staff salaries and clerical assistance .. 996 18 4 Grants from Government for— Office contingencies .. .. .. 810 2 2 Teachers' and pupil-teachers' salaries, and Teachers' and pupil-teachers' salaries, and allowances to pupil-teachers.. .. 18,259 9 6 allowances to pupil teachers .. .. 18,984 17 10 Reserves revenue for primary education 635 4 0 Believing-teachers' salaries .. .. 113 10 11 Capitation at 11s. 3d. and grant of £250 2,960 2 9 Incidental expenses of schools .. .. 1,114 16 4 Capitation for relieving-teachers .. 120 9 3 Refuod, balance of special Committee Special grant to School Committees .. 176 14 0 allowance .. .. .... 133 Receipts from other sources— Capitation, 9d. .. .. .. 175 10 9 Sale o£ books and refunds .. .. 175 10 10 Scholarships and expenses of examination.. 395 13 0 Grants from Government for— Salaries of staffs of district high schools .. 612 4 7 Scholarships.. .. .. .. 303 18 3 Other expenses— District high schools .. .. .. 479 10 0 Refund, Nelson School Commissioners .. 74 7 6 Grants from Government for manual and Ciiemicals .. .. .. .. 1 16 8 technical instruction — Manual and technical instruction— Capitation (general and scholarship) .. 517 7 3 School classes .. .. .. 420 4 2 Instruction of teachers .. .. 125 0 0 Special classes .. .. .. 350 15 2 Receipts from other sources— Maintenance of school buildings — Pees .. .. .. .. 63 6 0 Repairs, repainting, &o. .. .. 691 17 11 Grants from Government for — Rebuilding, &c. .. .. .. 1,262 9 2 Maintenance of buildings, rebuilding, &c. 1,424 10 0 Alterations and small additions .. 425 14 9 House allowances .. .. .. 745 12 4 Rents, interest, and insurance of workNew schools, additions, furniture, &o. .. 1,801 2 6 men, &c. .. .. .. .. 384 3 2 Technical-school buildings, fittings, &c. 1,250 8 9 House allowances .. .. .. 75117 11 New schools, additions, furniture, sites, &c. 1,421 12 10 Buildings, class-rooms, furniture, &c, for manual and technical purposes— School classes .. .. .. 77 19 9 Special classes .. .. .. 1,540 5 9 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 990 4 8 £31,598 6 7 £31,598 6 7 Geo. Talbot, Chairman. 19th January, 1906. Stead Ellis, Secretary.

GEEY. Sir,— Education Office, Greymouth, 20th April, 1906. I have the honour to present the report of the Education Board of the District of Grey for the year ending the 31st December, 1905. Board.—Messrs. John Byrne, Jeremiah McCarthy, and Joseph Petrie, who retired in August, were re-elected by the members of the School Committees. The Board has thus throughout the year consisted of Messrs. John Byrne, John Flynn, S. R. Harris, James Kerr, W. R. Kettle, Jeremiah McCarthy, Joseph Petrie, Frank White, and the Hon. James Marshall. At the annual meeting Mr. John Byrne was re-elected Chairman and Mr. James Kerr was elected Treasurer. In February Mr. W. R. Kettle was re-elected as the Board's representative on the Greymouth High School Board, and in April Mr. John Byrne was re-elected to represent the Board as one of the School Commissioners of Westland. Schools. —At the beginning of the year thirty-three schools were in operation. Early in the year, owing to the removal of the children from the district, Red Jacks School, had to be closed. The schools were graded as follows : Grade 0, 12 ; grade 1, 6 ; grade 2, 1 ; grade 3, 5 ; grade 5, 4 ; grade 7, 1 ; grade 8, 1 ; grade 9, 1 ; grade 15, 1. The average attendance for the year was 1,381, as compared with 1,384 for the previous year. There has been an increase in regularity during the year, the figures being 845 against 83-1 for the previous year. When it is remembered that the average for the colony for the year 1904 was 855, it will be seen that there is need for the services of an energetic Truant Officer. Teachers. —At the end of the year there were in the employ of the Board 55 teachers—l 4 males and 41 females —including 8 head teachers, 24 sole teachers, 16 assistant teachers, and 7 pupil-teachers. The number of uncertificated teachers continues to grow, and for schools of grade 0 and grade 1 the Board is unable to obtain qualified teachers. Secondary Education.—Owing to change of teachers and other causes the roll-number of the Greymouth District High School fell considerably during the year. The attendance has now improved, and there are indications that the work of this department will reach its former standard. Scholarships.—At the annual examination thirteen candidates presented themselves, five of whom qualified. The Junior National Scholarship was won by a boy. from the Greymouth District High School. Drill. —Another cadet detachment was formed during the year. The work done by the cadets is of a most satisfactory nature. Physical drill is taught in almost all the schools, and generally the work is well done. Several schools where the instruction includes practice with wands, dumb-bells, or clubs do excellent work.