E.—2

APPENDIX A.

REPORTS OF EDUCATION BOARDS.

AUCKLAND. Sir,— Auckland, 17th April, 1912. In acordance with the provisions of the Education Act, 1908, the Education Board of the District of Auckland has the honour to submit the following report of its proceedings for last year : — Board.—The members now in office are : North Ward, Mr. A. B. Harris, Mr. G. W. Murray, and Mr. J. D. McKenzie; East Ward, Mr. E. C. Banks, Mr. A. J. Farmer, and Mr. H. J. Greenslade; West Ward, Mr. C. I. Barriball, Mr. G. Edgecombe, and Mr. G. J. Garland. Owing to his election to the position of Mayor of the City of Auckland, Mr. C. J. Parr found it necessary in May last to resign his office as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Parr retired from his office as member in August. The Board placed on record its high appreciation of his services, both as a member and also as Chairman of the Board. Mr. G. J. Garland was elected Chairman in Mr. Parr's stead. The Board records its appreciation of the services of Mr. D. B. Wallace, who retired in August. Twenty-three meetings of the Board were held during the year, with an average attendance of seven members. A Committee of the whole Board meets every fortnight to deal with matters of finance and the appointment of teachers. Attendance. —At the end of the December quarter the number of scholars on the roll was 42,049, and the average attendance for that quarter was 37,585, the average attendance for the year being 36,350. There were 2,471 Maori and half-caste scholars in attendance at 279 schools. Arrangements are made in ten districts for the conveyance of children to school. Five schools were permanently closed during the year —viz., Kaikinekine, Scoria Flat, Tapuwai, Union Collieries, and Owhata. Teachers. —The number of teachers employed at the end of the year was 1,223, being an increase of seventy-six during the year. The number of adult teachers was 973, and the number of pupil-teachers and probationers was 250. During the year very considerable difficulty has been experienced in securing the services of competent teachers for remote rural schools. Sixty-six Training College students retired at the end of 1911, and those were practically all employed in the beginning of the present year. Finance. —The amount of receipts for the year was £243,530 10s. 6d. The expenditure was £249,262 15s. 4d , made up as follows : Administration and teachers' salaries, £184,094 19s. Id.; secondary education, £5,723 Is. 7d.; manual and technical instruction, £22,788 4s. 7d.; maintenance of buildings, £14,762 13s. 2d.; teachers' house allowances, £5,504 6s. 4d. £16,389 10s. 7d. was expended on new school buildings. The balance at the end of the year was £19,353 14s. Id., including a fixed deposit to the credit of the Seddon Memorial Technical College of £2,101 3s. 4d. The Board again expresses its opinion that any proposal to impose on local rates any part of the cost of education is objectionable. Buildings.—During the year eleven new schools were built, eleven school buildings were enlarged, and three residences were erected. Seven marquee tents were supplied to provide temporary school accommodation in districts where for various reasons it was impossible to arrange for the erection of school buildings. At the end of the year school was held in 128 private buildings. Competent foremen are employed under the direction of the Architect to carry out the necessary repairs, improvements, and renovation of buildings. The Ruapekapeka East school building was destroyed by fire during the year. Owing to the rapid increase of population in the Auckland City and suburbs, it has been necessary to provide additional accommodation in private buildings to relieve the overcrowding at the Edendale, Mount Eden, and Onehunga Schools. It is anticipated that the new schools about to be erected in Mount Eden and at Te Papapa (Onehunga) will relieve the congestion. Considerable difficulty is often experienced in providing school accommodation in districts where the number of children is too small to warrant the erection of a standard pattern school building. In such cases where the number of children is between ten and twenty, the Board has in several instances applied for a grant to provide an inexpensive building, to be constructed so that when the population increases and a larger building is required it may be utilized as a shelter-shed or school-porch. In order to make provision for renewing worn-out buildings, the Board has placed £13,000 on fixed deposit at the bank. Training College.—During the year 101 students were in attendance. A junior model school has been established on the recommendation of the Committee of Advice. The Board considers that the salaries provided for junior assistants at the Normal School are inadequate. Representations regarding this matter have already been made to the Department,

i—E. 2 (App. A).