E.—2

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officers the cadet movement has made good progress, and generally the cadets of the Grey Battalion will compare favourably with any in the Dominion. Teachers and Technical Instruction.—Special classes for teachers were held in cookery, agriculture, chemistry, and wood-carving. Eight schools and two special classes were held in cookery and four in dressmaking; eight schools conducted classes in elementary agriculture; and at the various schools 890 children received instruction in hand and eye work. At Blackball the headmaster of the school successfully conducted two continuation classes. Special Grants. —During the year authority was received to enlarge Blackball school, erect a new school at Te Kinga, and a side school at Blaketown. These very necessary works are now completed. Authority was also received to acquire additional land in connection with Blackball School, and to improve Seddon-Runanga school-grounds. On behalf of the Board, I have to heartily thank you for the consideration ever given for requests for special grants for necessary educational requirements. Finance.—For the first time for many years the Board is in a sound financial position. At the 31st December the balance-sheet showed a net credit on all accounts (excluding contractors' deposits) of £554 12s. Id. All the Board's accounts are in credit, either in cash or accruing assets. Compared with many preceding years, the record is one that the present Board and administration li;is just cause to be proud of. For the past three years the Board adopted a policy of drastic, economy, and, without in any way impairing the efficiency of the educational work of its district, a great improvement has been made in the financial position. This year, however', will make a heavy call on the Building Fund. With the exception of the Education Office and Technical School, all the Board's buildings are of wood, and, although large sums are annually expended to keep them in repair, the fact that white-pine and rimu straight from the saw were wholly used in the construction of the older schools, and that the mean average rainfall is some 120 in., make the cost of upkeep and repair more than twice that of other parts of the Dominion, where better buildingmaterial and climatic conditions obtain. Education Act Amendments. —On behalf of yourself and the officers of your Department, please accept the hearty and sincere thanks of my Board for the educational legislation of 1908. The initiation of a free-school-books supply is a measure that has ever had the strongest advocacy of the Board; and the liberal provisions made for recompense of teachers and permanence of th'jir positions must result in attracting a liberal proportion of the brains and ability of the rising generation to one of the noblest of the professions. The ultimate result must be increased benefit and good to the people of the Dominion. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. James Kerr, Chairman.

Gbnebal Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1908. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Grants from Government for — Balance at beginning of year .. .. 126 9 6 Teachers' and pupil-teachers' salaries, and Staff salaries and clerioal assistance .. 563 10 0 allowanoes to pupil-teaohers .. 5,831 13 4 Office contingencies '.. .. .. 258 18 9 Reserves revenue for primary education 88 0 0 Teachers' and pupil-teachers' salaries, and Capitation at 6d. for relieving-teachers .. 38 5 6 allowances to pupil-teachers.. .. 5,884 6 1 Capitation at 11s. 3d., and grant of £250 1,111 1 0 Eelieving-teachers'salaries .. .. 53 13 8 Special capitation at 9d. for School Com- Special oapitation to Sohool Committees.. 55 1 0 mittees .. .. .. .. 55 1 0 Incidental expenses of schools .. .. 263 13 5 Training of teachers other than at Contributions, Canadian Park Fund .. 3 13 5 training oolleges .. .. .. 195 0 0 Allowanoe to scholarship-holders, and exPostages .. .. .. .. 010 0 penses of examination— Receipts from other souroes — Proceeds Board scholarships .. .. .. 86 10 0 school conoert, £45 3s. ; rent, £42; re- National Scholarships .. .. 83 5 0 fund Accident Association, ss. 9d. .. 87 8 9 Salaries of teaohers and additions to Subscriptions, Canadian Fund (Imperial salaries of head teachers on staffs of Park, Quebec) .. .. .. 313 5 district high schools .. .. 415 0 0 Grants from Government for— Other expenses, district high schools— Scholarships— Printing, £15 ; inspector, £25 ; mci Education Board .. .. .. BG 10 0 J dentals, £26 ; apparatus, £1 17s. 6d. .. 67 17 G National .. .. .. .. 85 10 5 Manual and technical— District high schools— School classes .. .. .. 152 8 5 Salaries of teachers.. .. .. 355 0 0 Special classes .. .. .. 245 9 2 Subsidies on voluntary contributions, Other expenses, manual and technical— &c. .. .. .. .. 45 3 0 Examination .. .. .. 6 0 0 Receipts from other sources, district high Maintenance of 6chool buildings— sohools — Alterations, sjnall additions, repairs, reFees .. .. •• •• -700 painting, &o. .. .. .. 711 10 3 Board of Governors Grey High School .. 250 0 0 Rebuilding .. .. .. .. 253 11 6 Grants from Government for manual and Rent .. .. .. .. .. 29 18 6 technioal instruction— House allowanoes .. .. .. 350 0 0 Capitation on all classes .. .. 222 18 8 New school buildings, additional classMaterial for class-work .. .. 40 7 8 rooms, furniture, sites, &c. .. .. 891 10 6 Receipts from other sources, manual and Buildings, clasa-rooms, furniture, &c, for technical—Fees .-. .. .. 66 11 5 manual and technical purposes— Grants from Government for— School classes .. .. .. 10 4 5 Maintenance of sohool buildings, rebuild- Special classes .. .. .. 64 18 3 ing, rents, sites, &c. .. .. 1,553 9 6 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 554 12 1 Houso allowances .. .. .. 364 3 4 New sohool buildings, additions, furniture, sites, &c. .. .. ... 595 0 0 Technical-school buildings, furniture, fittings, apparatus, &c. .. .. 49 14 5 £11,132 1 5 £11,132 16 James Kekk, Chairman. Ist March, 1909. P. F. Daniel, Secretary.