E.—2.

Appendix A.

rooms are provided modern furniture is installed. A teacher's residence has been erected at and at Kia Ora a small but comfortable ceittage has been erected for the teacher, the intention being te) convert it te> semie other use at a future date. The carrying out of desirable repairs and improvements has frequently been delayed, and this has no doubt proved irksome to teachers and Committees, but under existing conditions it is unavoidable. The interior painting of school buildings has been confined to necessitems cases. The old school buildings at Hamilton have been sedd, as they were no longer required in that locality. Asphalting and drainage-work receiveel the average amount ol attention, and a good deal of fencing has been included, in the year's work. During the year the school at Wylie's Crossing and the teacher's residence at Poolburn were completely elestroyed by fire, and there were outbreaks of fire at the teacher's residences at Clyde anel Hillend, but in both cases these were subdued before much damage was done. The Wylie's Crossing School has been rebuilt in brick. The War : Roll oj Honour.- During the year twenty-eight members of the teaching profession enlisted for service in the Expeditionary Forces. The report for 19.1.4. contained the names of twentyfour teachers, training-college students, and. e)fficers of the Board wht> had been accepted for military service abroad, so that the total number of names on the Board's Roll of Honour is now fifty-two. The Board regrets to have to reoord the following casualties : Killeel in action : Cowan, James George. Reported as missing : White, Percy Henry. Wounded : [eight names not printed]. Three teachers have returned to the Dominion and, having received their discharge from the Defence Forces, have resumed duty. National Service by School Pupils.- The part taken by the pupils of the- public prima ty anel district high schools in Otago in equipping e>ar soldiers, in fitting e)ut hospital ships and relieving distress in Belgium anel Britain is shown in a summarized form in a report furnished by Senior Inspector Richardson and printed in Appendix [not printed]. In the Board's view the record of tin; work revealed by the report is a splendid testimony to the patriotism of the children, and the fine; influence exercised over them by their teachers in directing their youthful energies to this noble work. School Committees.- -The Board tenders its thanks to the Sohool Committees of the district for the interest they continue to manifest in the welfare of the schools with which, they are connected and for their cordial co-operation with the Board in the carrying out of its functions. I have, &c, IS I). T. Fleming, Chairman. The lion, the Minister of Education, Wellington.

SOUTHLAND. Slfe,— Education Office, Invercargill, 81st March, 191 (i. In accordance with the provisions of section 39 (1) of the Education Act, 1914, the Education Board ol the District of Southland has the honour to submit the following report of its proceedings for the year ending Slst December,. 1915 : — Board. —At the end e>f the'year the Board consisted of Messrs. H. A. Arohdall (Chairman), G. E. Amos, J. Findlay, D. Gilchrist, A. Lowrie, J. Mac Gibbon, H. E. Niven, J. C. Thomson, M.P., and G. T. Stevens. In accordance with the provisions of the Education Act, the following members retired in July, and were re-eleoted unopposed : Westward-—Mr. If. A. Arohdall; Eastward —Mr. D. Gilchrist, Central Ward Mr. G. E. Amos. Mr. H. A. Arohdall was re-elected Chairman in the month of September. The following were the Board's representatives on various educational bodies: Southland Berys' and Girls' High Schools' Board- Messrs. G. T. Stevens and G. E. Amos; Board of Management of the Southland Technical College—Messrs. H. A. Arohdall, H. E. Niven, A. Lerwrie, anel A. L. Wyllie ; Gore, High. School Board- Messrs. H. E. Niven, J. Mac Gibbon, and D. Gilchrist; Training Ceilege Committee of Advice—Mr. O. T. Stevens; Otago University Council- Hon. T. Mac Gibbon, M.L.C. During the year the Board held twelve ordinary and twt) special meetings, and the Executive Committee of the whole Board met twenty-three times. The attendance of members was very satisfactory. Board's Officers.- In February Mr. Bell, M.A., who had been Secretary and Treasurer to the Board, as well as Director of Technical Instruction, since June, 19.1.3, tendered his resignation on accepting a position in the Education Department, Wellington. The Board, in accepting Mr. Bell's resignation, expressed its appreciation of the faithful and efficient manner in which he had discharged his duties, and congratulated him on his promotion to an important position in the Department of Education. Mr. F. G. Stevenson was appointed Secretary and Treasurer, and Mr. Brownlie Director of Technical Instruction. Mr. W. Sampson, accountant in the Board's office, was granted leave of absence to join the Expeditionary Forces, and his place has been filled by the appointment of Mr. R. Cutfield. In accordance with, the provisions of the Education Act, 1914, the control of the Inspectors-— Messrs. A. L. Wyllie, M.A., A. Inglis, M.A., M.Sc, and A. McNeil, M.A.—-passed from the Board to the Education Department, Wellington, as from the Ist January, 1915. On the eve of the transfer ol the Inspectors the Board placed em record its appreciation of their valuable services and of their wholehearted devotion to the cause of education, and expressed regret at the severance of the official tie. Although the official tie has been, broken, the Board trusts that they may long continue in their new capacity to advise the Board in its various administrative spheres. Schools. —At the end of the year there were 185 sohools in active operatiem, two more than for the previous year. New schools were: opened at South Invercargill (St. George), Otahu, Taunoa, and Glenelhu, while the Motu-Rimu Schoeil, after being closed for some time, was re-opened. The

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