K.—±

[APi-KNJDiX A.

VI

Vis%l of Chief Inspector to Australia. —At the instance of the Board, the Chief Inspector, Air. Braik, spent ihe months ot May and June in me Uoinmon wealth studying cue work of education m live oi the States. He visited Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and .tiobart, and at eacii place spent some lime in the primary, secondary, anu technical scliools. lie aiso visited the chiel agricultural colleges, rlawkesbury (iNevv South Wales), uookie (Victoria), and Koseworthy (South Australia), and further looked into die work of die agricultural high scnools, visiting for this purpose the Bailarat Agricultural High School. On his return Mr. rsraik presented to the Board tliree reports, one dealing with agricultural education, another with tne kindergarten and Montessori systems, a third with primary, secondary, and technical education, in Mr. Braik's absence the position of Chief inspector was efficiently niied by Mr. T. B. [strong. One oi the results of the visit is that the Board decided to send Miss Alexander, Principal of the Central infants' School, to Sydney for a month to study the Aiontessori system. Manual and Technical Instruction,. —[_See E.-5, lleport on Manual and Technical Instruction.] Buildings and Sites. —The principal works undertaken during the year were—New schools at Taumatatahi, Hiiiau, Kakatini, and West End (Palmerston North); new residences at StonyCreek and Mangamingi; and erection of bathrooms, washhouses, and shelter-sheds at a number of places. The Raetihi School was removed to a new site. The painting of the exterior of eighteen buildings, the interior of ten, and the repapermg of two were carried out by the painting staff. The foreman carpenter was fully employed in carrying out si,mil additions, alterations, and repairs, in addition to which he undertook the trection of the Kakatihi and limau Schools and the removal of the Raetihi School. A large amount of miscellaneous work, such as fencing, metalling, &c, was done under the direction of School Committees with the assistance of grants from the Board. The works in hand or completed since the end of the year comprise new school at Makohine Valley, additions to schools at Terrace End, Gonville, i)urie Hill, Apiti, Fitzherbert East, Hangiwahia, and Rangataua; additions to the residences at Ararata, Makotuku, Oroua Bridge, Auroa; removal of Ohakune School to a new site, and the enlargement of the building to double its existing size, in June last a portion of the Aramoho School, thirty-four years old, was destroyed by fire. The present site is a very unsuitable one, and an endeavour is therefore being made to secure a new site of about 4 acres, if the Board is successful in its efforts the portion of the building destroyed will be rebuilt in brick, on the new site, and the rest of the building removed there. As the sites at Raetihi and Ohakune were unsuitable, arrangements were made with the Crown Lands Department for new sites at both places. Additional land was purchased at Upokongaro and Wanganui East. Negotiations for the purchase of new sites at Campbell Street (Palmerston North), Rotokare, Silverhope, Upper Tutaenui, and Raurimu, and for an addition to the Ohangai site, are now in progress. Again the Board is to be congratulated upon the splendid stall' of teachers in the service, whose zeal and efficiency are proverbial throughout the district. The Director of Education (Mr. G. I). Braik) and Ins staff of assistants—Messrs. T. B. Strong, J. Milne (Inspectors), and 1). Stewart (Organizer of School-work) —have earned the praise of every one interested in the progress of education by the manner in which they have performed their duties, while the Board's ofliee and construction staff, under Mr. W. 1!. Swanger, the Secretary, have left nothing undone to ensure the smooth working and success of the administration. The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. Frbu. Pirani, Chairman.

WELLINGTON. ►518, — Education Oliice, Wellington, 31st March, 1914. in accordance with the requirements of the Education Act, .1908, 1 beg to submit the following report of the Education Board of the District of Wellington for the year 1913. Board. —At the annual election Messrs. li. Lee (city), A. W. Hogg (Wairarapa), and W. H. Field (Hutt-Horowhenua) were re-elected. At the August meeting Mr. R. Lee was re-elected Chairman. The following was the membership of the Board at the end of the year : Wellington City Ward—Messrs. J. G. W. Aitken, W. Allan, R. Lee; Hutt-Horowhenua Ward—Messrs. H. Freeman, W. H. Field, J. Kebbell; Wairarapa Ward—Sir Walter C. Buchanan, M.P., Messrs. A. W. Hogg, T. Moss. The Board's representative Managers of Technical Schools were: Wellington—Messrs. Aitkeu, Allan, and Field; Petone —Messrs. J. W. McEwan and 1). McKeuzie. The membership of the Committee of Advice remained unchanged : Mr. W. Lock, representing Marlborough, Nelson, Grey, and Westland Boards; "Mr. G. Carson, Taranaki, Wanganui, ami Hawke's Bay Boards; Mr. R. Lee and Chief Inspector Fleming, Wellington Board; Professor Brown, Victoria College Council. Mr. Lee was re-elected Chairman. Number of Schools. —At the end of 1912 there were 168 schools in operation. During 1913 new schools were opened at Papatahi, Mara, Castlepoint, Mikimiki Valley, and Arapaepae (side school to Koputaroa). Schools were closed at Maunganui, Waihoki, ami Huia Road. Thus at the end of the year there were 169 schools in operation. Attendance. —The average attendance—lo,672 —was 903 of the average roll number 18,473 —which may be considered very good in view of certain adverse circumstances such as epidemic sickness, the industrial strike in Wellington, Ac. In regularity of attendance this district is now amongst the best in the Dominion. Corresponding percentages for preceding years are • 1912 90 per cent.; 1911, 90' l per cent,; 1910, 88"9 per cent. The improvement is Very marked as compared with the records of ten years earlier—l9o3, 826 per cent,, and 1902, 825 per cent, The roll and average attendance increases for the year were 470 and 474 respectively.