57

E.—2

Buildings.—The total expenditure under buildings during the year was £10,922 Is. 6d. A new school has been built at North Linwood, and substantial additions made at Harewood, Hornbjr, and New Brighton. New dwellinghouses have been provided for the teachers at Ellesinere and Springfield, also for the caretakers at the Normal School and at Sydenham. At the latter school a heavy but necessary expenditure has been incurred on new outbuildings in brick. The payment of balance of purchase-money for additional land at Elmwood, the acquisition of site for a school at South Spreydon, the provision of fire-escapes at the city schools, and of furniture of the dual type for a number of schools have also absorbed a considerable sum. At the following schools repairs and painting or substantial improvements have been carried out: Ashburton, Aylesbury, Belfast, Bromley, Brookside, Chertsey, Christchurch East, Christchurch West, Clarkville, Domett, Doyleston, Ellesmere, Fendalton, Halkett, Harewood, Hornby, Killinchy, Kirwee, Linwood, Longbeach, Lyndhurst, Malvern, Ni« Brighton, Normal School, Opawa, Richmond, Rolleston, Russell's Flat, St. Albans, Elmwood, Springfield, Sydenham, Tai Tapu, Tinwald, Weedon, West Melton, Woodend, and Woolston. Towards the close of the year the teacher's house at Greendale, a house of six rooms, was destroyed by fire, and on the sth February of present year the Addington district had the misfortune of losing its main school buildings from the same cause. Two other districts, Domett and Lauriston, have suffered some loss from fire, the outbuildings having been burned. Maintenance.—The expenditure on salaries and allowances to teachers engaged in primary departments was £65,155 10s. 9d., the grants to School Committees and other incidental expenses amounting to £6,825 12s. Id., making a total of £71,981 2s. 10d. Under these headings the expenditure, as compared with the previous year, showed an increase of £1,045 19s. 9d. The salaries paid to teachers in secondary departments amounted to £3,006 9s. 5d., being slightly above the same class of expenditure in 1907. There were 533 teachers in the Board's service at the end of 1908. Of these, 207 (120 males and 87 females) were heads of schools or departments, or in sole charge; 215 (42 males and 173 females) were assistants; and 113 (28 males and 85 females) were pupil-teachers. The number of sewing-mistresses was 26. School Districts.—Three new school districts have been formed during the year —viz., Culverden, North Linwood, and Redcliffs. The number of schools in operation at the end of the year, including fourteen aided schools, was 209. Irregular Attendance.—ln his annual ieport for the year 1908 the Truant Officer reports that the attendance as a whole has been exceptionally good, there having been an almost entire absence of sickness, with good weather prevailing throughout the year. Of the 1,024 cases in which action was taken it became necessary to lay informations in 127. In ninety-eight cases fines were inflicted, amounting to £10 145., while thirty-two cases carried costs in addition. Training Collfge.—Full information in regard to the number of students admitted to the Training College during 1908 is given in the Principal's report. During the year the Board's Normal School Committee conferred with the Training College Board of Advice and discussed matters connected with the Training College. The following resolution, subsequently adopted by the Board and forwarded to the Department, was carried: "That, with a view of giving B students fuller opportunities for practice in teaching, it is recommended that provision be made for bringing them into the Training College for at least a portion of February, and, if .practicable, for devoting more attention to the subject during other times of the year." Scholarships.—The examination for the Board's Junior Scholarships was held on the 9th and 10th December, and that for Senior Scholarships on succeeding days. One hundred and eleven candidates (sixty-four boys and forty-seven girls) presented themselves for examination in the Junior class, or for Junior National Scholarships, and twenty-six (thirteen boys and thirteen girls) in the Senior class. Junior Scholarships were awarded to thirteen boys and five girls. Junior National Scholarships were awarded to four boys and one girl. The candidate first in order of merit was unable to hold a scholarship owing to section 72 (/) of the Act. In the Board's Senior class, scholarships were awarded to five boys and six girls. During the year the Board made an important, alteration in its Scholarship Regulations as regards the basis of allocation. In future the schools will be classified as at present, but all Junior Scholarships will be awarded to children under the age of thirteen years, a proportionate number of scholarships to be awarded to eacli class, based on the roll-number of each. There were eleven entries for the Board's Gammack Scholarships, tenable at Canterbury College. Eliza J. Pegg and Mary C. Reynolds, both Christchurch Girls' High School, were first and second respectively, and scholarships have been awarded to them. In this connection, however, in order that the benefits arising from the Gammack Bequest may be more widely distributed, it is a matter for consideration whether those who qualify for Senior National Scholarships should not be debarred from holding the Board's Scholarships, as is the case with those who qualify for Junior University Scholarships. The third and fourth candidates having elected to forego their claims, the Board has been able, out of the surplus funds available, to award a third scholarship, which has been secured by James A. Gordon, of the Christenurch Boys' High School. Manual and Technical Instruction. —As will be seen from the report of its Director, great activity has continued to be displayed by the Board of Managers of the Christchurch Technical Association, a large number of classes, covering a wide range of subjects, having been held. At the Ashburton centre, too, considerable developments have taken place under the local management. At Akaroa, where a new building has been erected, and equipped with the necessary furniture and appliances, progress commensurate with the expenditure incurred will no doubt be made, the same remark applying to Rangiora, where a new building in brick is now in course of erection. At the remaining centres special classes have been carried on in the subjects finding most favour, B—E. 2.