E.—2.

site. Many school buildings have been painted and repaired, or improved in some other direction, among them being Annat, Awaroa. Barr Hill, Bromley, Burnham, Charing Cross. Christchurch East. Christ i I)urch West, Cooper's Creek, Culverden, Doric. Dunsandel, Eyreton West. Fernside, Flaxton, Glentunnel. Greendale Main and Side, Hiiihbank. Hornby, Kaiapoi, Killinchv. Kimberley, Kirikiii. Kyle, Lakeside, Liiuriston, Methven, Okain's Bay, Opawa, Overdale, Rakaia Smith. Rangiora, Richmond, Riverside. Rokeby, Rolleston, Seafield, Sefton, Selwyn, South Malvern, Springston, View Hill. Waltham, Wood stock. A substantial expenditure in the aggregate has also been incurred cm improvements to tin schoolhouses in the following districts: Ashburton. Governor's Bay. Harewood, Hornby, Leeston, Waddington, Mayfield, Tai Tapu, Tuahiwi, Waikuku. and on improvements to the school grounds at Fendalton, Lakeside, Lyttelton West, St. Albans. and Woolston. In a number of cases the Board has granted subsidies towards the cost of shelter-sheds, wash-houses, and bathrooms, in the belief thai when Committees and teachers are willing to help themselves it is the Board's duty to assist. It will be a matter of sincere regret to the Board, if, owing to the very large reduction made by the Department in the annual grant, it should be compelled to discontinue assistance in these directions. The Board submits that its expenditure in the past on the maintenance of school buildings has been necessary, and that if the schools in the North Canterbury District are to be efficiently maintained and the reasonable requirements of Committees met, then the amount granted for t he current year is totally inadequate. Id a number of the smaller schools in which the furniture was worn out and of obsolete pattern the Board has provided new dual desks, the expenditure under this head having been over £4(M>. apart from that incurred on new furniture for Addington and Elmwood. At the Lyttelton Distrid Ilinh School a large amount has been expended on new outbuildings. During the year the Board has disposed of the school buildings at German Bay (side) and the old house at Fendalton. The Tuahiwi School, destroyed by fire on the morning of the 27th July, will be reinstated at an early date. Towards the close of the year one of the schoolrooms at Burwood was condemned, and at the date of this report the remaining portion has been moved to a more suitable site, and a new infant room erected. The total expenditure under buildings during the year was £12,362 11s. 6d. Maintenance. —The expenditure on salaries and allowances to teachers engaged in primary departments was £73,133 ss. 10d., the grants to School Committees and other incidental expenses amounting to £7,107 os. Id., making a total of £80,240 ss. lid. The expenditure on salaries, as compared with the previous year, showed an increase of £7,914 10s. Id. While the Board is glad thai salaries have been increased so as to attract to the service men and women of good ability, it is of opinion that the increased expenditure in this direction is largely responsible for the heavy reduction in the grant for the maintenance of school buildings, for which the Board feels that Parliament might also have made more adequate provision. The salaries paid to teachers in secondary departments amounted to £2,783 10s. Id., being a decrease of £222 19s. 4d. in the same class of expenditure for 1908. There were 569 teachers in the Board's service at the end of 1909, being an increase of thirty-six as compared with the previous year. Of these, 208 (121 males and eighty-seven females) were heads of schools or departments, or in sole charge ; 233 (forty-six males and 187 females) were assistants ; 115 (twenty-six males and eighty-nine females) were pupil-teachers ; and thirteen (one male and twelve females) were probationers. The number of sewing-mistresses was eighteen. The undermentioned table shows the number of schools, the number of children on the rolls, the number in average attendance, and the percentage of attendance at the close of the years 1878 and 1909. It will be noted that for 1909 the percentage of attendance fell to 85-51. due. in all probability, to the epidemics that prevailed in some districts : — Quarter ended Illst December, 1878. 1909. District schools .. . . .. .. .. 106 196 Aided schools .. .. .. .. .. 4 14 Total of schools .. .. .. .. .. 110 210 On roll .. .. .. .. .. .. 13,647 20,842 Average attendance .. .. .. .. 10.076 17,821 Percentage .. .. .. .. .. 73-83 86-51 Training Colleoe. —In the month of June the training college was inspected by the Inspector General of Schools and the Sub-Inspector-General, whose report has caused the Board much anxious consideration. In his rejoinder to the adverse criticism contained in the report the Director maintains that the work of the college has been attended by special difficulties, having to be co-ordinated with work at Canterbury College, and, further, that defects do not exist to the extreme extent alleged. While the Board cannot feel satisfied with the condition of the training college as disclosed in the report. it feels that the opportunities upon which the Department's officers formed their conclusions were limited, the inspection having been made during the Canterbury College mid-winter vacation, when the usual routine of criticism lessons and practice was suspended, and that the unsatisfactory position is largely due to the Director's endeavour to carry out too loyally the instructions contained in Regulation No. 15 (Training Colleges) and the wish of the Department in the first instance that the fullest possible opportunities should be given to students to take up studies for a University degree. In order that the improvement which is so necessary may be effected, the Board has called upon the Director to dvaw up a scheme of work, the carrying-out of which shall insure that the College fully discharges its functions. In the course of the Board's investigations it has been clearly demonstrated that in order to successfully carry out the Department's scheme of work, including observation and practice in school methods, it will be necessary for the students to attend at the training college for most of the school day, and that, therefore, they will not in future be so free to take lectures at Canterbury College as has been the case in the past. As important parts of the work of the training college are being carried on unsatisfactorily in consequence of limited space, the Board has decided to apply for a grant for the

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