8.—2.

[Appendix A.

also been purchased, towards the cost of which the Board confidently anticipates receiving a material sum from proceeds of sale of the old site, which, though very valuable owing to the position it occupies, is too small on which to erect a new and up-to-date school building. Out of special grants made by the Government, supplemented to some extent by its ordinary funds, the Board has been . able to provide bathrooms and washhouses for a number of its teachers. The Board trusts that it 'will be practicable to continue improvements in this direction, and that in the near future all teachers occupying houses will be provided with the conveniences necessary for their comfort and welfare. Of the total expenditure on buildings, a large amount has been absorbed by necessary repairs and minor improvements, including painting. For some years the Board had under consideration the question of the use of school buildings for purposes of amusement and entertainment, such as picture-shows, dances, sales of work, &«. It appeared to the Board that in such cases the buildings were exposed to more than ordinary risk from fire, and that this risk should be covered by insurance. The Board accordingly decided to require School Committees to insure their school buildings when used for the purposes mentioned. The Board would impress upon all Committees that the observance of this requirement will release them from the responsibility they will otherwise incur should the use of schools for purposes of amusement result in their destruction by fire. During the year the members of the Board inspected the schools situated on Banks Peninsula, and made themselves acquainted with their several requirements. Generally speaking, though old, the schools were found to be in very fair order. The following works, among, others, were recognized as necessary, and have since been carried out : Le Bon's Bay—additions to school and house; Barry's Bay—renewal of partitions and renovations; German Bay—removal and re-erection of chimney and improvement in lighting; Port Levy—renovation to buildings. The visit to Akaroa convinced members that a new school was necessary, and enabled them to inspect the various sites then offered, none of which, however, was quite suitable for the purpose. As stated elsewhere, a site has since been acquired. Schools.—The number of schools in operation at the end of the year, including nineteen aided schools, was 212, classified as follows: 1 to 8, 6 (of which 4 were aided schools); 9 to 15, 25 (of which 7 were aided schools); 16 to 25, 44 (of which 5 were aided schools); 26 to 35, 33 (of which 2 were aided schools); 36 to 80, 49 (one of which—Midland Railway—was an aided school); 81 to 120, 19; 121 to 160, 8; 161 to 200, 2; 201 to 250, 4; 251 to 300, 4; 301 to 350, 4; 351 to 400, 1; 401 to 450, 1; 451 to 500, 3; 501 to 550, 2; 551 to 600, 2; 601 to 650, 2; above 650, 3 : total, 212. 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 for each year* since 1878. Hitherto the practice has been, in dealing with the percentage of attendance, to make the December quarter the basis of calculation. As the attendance during any one quarter is liable to fluctuate owing to various causes, a truer indication of the position is obtained by taking the attendance for the whole year. On this latter basis the percentage of attendance for 1911 is 8992, and that for the previous year 8703. In order that a comparison may be made with the attendance for previous years, the figures shown in annual reports from 1878 have been altered, those now substituted being the mean average roll-number and the mean average attendance respectively for each year.

School Staffs. —There were 619 teachers in the Board's service at the end of 1911, an increase of twenty-seven over the previous year (see Return No. 8). The uncertificated teachers numbered fifty-seven, many of whom, however, had passed certificate examinations or held partial qualification. Maintenance. —-The expenditure on salaries and allowances to teachers engaged in primary departments was £77,493 75., the grants to School Committees and other incidental expenses amounting to £6,693 7s. 7d., making a total of £84,186 14s, 7d. The expenditure on salaries as compared with the previous year showed an increase of £2,103 15s. 4d. The salaries paid to teachers in secondary departments amounted to £2,773 13s. 4d., being a decrease of £86 18s. Bd. as compared with similar expenditure for 1910. Return No. 6* shows the amount spent in each

* Condensed into five-yearly periods from 1878 to 1901,

XVI

Quarter ended 31st December. District Schools. Aided Schools. Total of Schools. _J On Roll. Average Attendance. Percentage. 1878 .. 1883 .. 1888 .. 1893 .. 1898 .. 1901 .. 1902 .. 1903 .. 1904 .. 1905 .. 1906 .. 1907 .. 1908 .. 1909 .. 1910 .. 1911 .. 106 139 155 175 186 185 185 183 184 187 189 192 195 196 194 193 4 4 1 4 16 20 22 22 22 23 20 14 14 14 15 19 110 143 156 179 202 205 207 205 206 210 209 206 209 210 209 212 13,781 17,475 20,301 21,279 20,836 19,769 19,625 19,569 19,440 19,492 19,472 19,252 19,942 20,427 20,755 21,551 9,641 12,844 15,920 17,543 17,580 16,591 16,747 16,227 16,712 16,923 16,876 16,232 17,536 17,634 18,063 18,920 69-96 73-50 78-41 82-44 84-37 83-92 85-34 82-92 85-97 86-82 86-67 84-31 87-94 86-33 97-03 89-92