Appendix A.]

E.—2.

Board. —At the annual election the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, M.L.C., (city), Messrs. H. Freeman (Hutt-Horowhenua), and T. Moss (Wairarapa) were re-elected, and to the extraordinary vacancy created by the retirement of Mr. R. Lee Mr. C. M. Luke was elected. The Hon. Mr. Aitken was elected Acting-Chairman in June, and Chairman at the annual meeting in August. The following was the membership of the Board at the end of the year: Wellington City Ward—the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, M.L.C, Messrs. W. Allan, C. M. Luke; Hutt-Horowhenua Ward—Messrs. H. Freeman, W. H. Field, M.P.; J. Kebbcll; Wairarapa Ward—Sir Walter Buchanan, Messrs. A. W. Hogg and T. Moss. The Board's representative Managers of Technical Schools were : Wellington —the Hon. Mr. Aitken, M.L.C., Messrs. Allan and Field, M.P. ; Petone —Messrs. J. W. McEwan and I). McKenzie. The membership of the Committee of Advice was—Mr. W. Lock, representing Marlborough, Nelson, Grey, and Westland Boards ; Hon. G. Carson, Taranaki, Wanganui, and Hawke's Bay Boards ; the Hon. Mr. Aitken, M.L.C., and Chief Inspector Fleming, Wellington Board ; Professor Brown, Victoria College Council. The Hon. Mr. Aitken, M.L.C., was elected Chairman, in succession to Mi. Lee. The announcement of the retirement of Mr. R. Lee from the Chairmanship and from the Board on the eve of a visit to Great Britain was received with universal expressions of the deepest regret. Probably no one else has made a contribution at once so fine and so varied to the development of primary education in New Zealand. Resourceful as a pioneer educationist, capable as an administrator, untiring as Secretary, as Chief Inspector, as member and as Chairman of the Board, in his efforts to promote the best interests of education he has well earned the appreciation and the gratitude of this community to which he devoted forty years, rich in the finest kind of service a man can render to the State. Number of Schools. —At the end of 1913 there were 169 schools in operation. During 1914 new schools were opened at Mangapari, Mangaroa, and Kelburn. Schools were closed at Korokoro South, Mitehelltown, Weraiti, and Pencarrow. Thus at the end of the year there were 167 schools in operation. The Mitehelltown School was only nominally closed :it became part of the combined Te AroMitchelltown School. Attendance. —The average roll and attendance for the respective quarters and the year were : — Average Average 'Roll. Attendance. March .. .. .. .. .. .. 18,752 17,349 June .. .. .. .. .. .. 19,072 17,184 September- .. .. .. .. .. 19,253 17,201 December .. .. .. .. .. .. 19,651 18,037 19,182 17,443 The average attendance was for the year 90-9 per cent, of the roll number, an excellent record, testifying alike to the care of the teaching staff, to the attractiveness of the school —best truant officer of all— to the support of the parents, and to the assiduity of the Truant Officer. This result can compare with the best records of the Dominion. The corresponding percentages for 1913, 1912, 1911, and 1910 were 90-3, 90, 90-1, and 88-9. The numerical increase in roll and average was the largest on record — namely, 709 and 771 respectively. Teaching Staff. —The following are the numbers of teachers, pupil-teachers, and probationers who were in the Board's service at the end of the year :— Men. Women. Total. Heads of schools .. .. .. .. 64 10 74 Sole teachers .. .. .. .. 33 76 109 Assistants .. .. .. .. .. .. 59 199 258 Total adults .. .. .. .. .. 156 285 441 Pupil-teachers .. .. .. .. 14 37 51 170 322 492 Probationers .. .. .. .. ..3 35 38 Total (including pupil-teachers and probationers) .. 173 357 530 Of the adult teachers, 133 men, 246 women, total 379, possessed certificates ; sixty-two were uncertificated, of whom nine were holders of a license to teach.. The percentage of fully certificated teachers was 85-9, compared with 84-5 in 191.3. Of the uncertificated teachers many were partially qualified for the certificate, some being merely under age. Instruction of Teachers. —The following Saturday classes were held for instruction of teachers : Wellington —Elementary home science, hygiene, Miss F. C. Kilroe, Miss Maskell; singing, Mr. R. Parker ; woodwork and cardboard modelling, Mr. E. Howe ; experimental physics and chemistry, Mr. G. Kidson ; drawing and handwork, the Technical School Staff. Masterton—Elementary hygiene, physiology, and first aid, Miss F. Lazarus ; drawing and handwork, Mr. D. Grant; singing, Mr. R. Parker. Pahiatua —Elementary hygiene, physiology, and first aid, Miss M. Reese. As in former years, a continuous course extending over the month of February was given in the Normal School to uncertificated and untrained teachers studying for the certificate. An invitation was extended to teachers from each education district served by the Training College, and there attended, with the Wellington teachers, a number from Grey and Nelson. An excellent course was arranged under the supervision of Mr. F. Morgan, M.Sc., and it included English, arithmetic, geography, and agriculture (Mr. Morgan), methods of teaching (Mr. J. C. Webb, 8.A.), physiology, hygiene, and first aid (Miss Mcßae), drawing (Mr. Pitkethley), and music (Mr. R. Parker). The purpose was to meet as far as

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