Appendix A.]

E.—2.

The Board regrets that it was unable to obtain from the Department an assurance that subsidies will be granted for equipment and material for organized school games. The Board considers that school games now play an important part in the education of our children and make generally for good citizenship, and takes the view that money expended on requisites for school games is money well spent. " Aided " Schools. —The Board was gratified that the adoption by regulation of a course long advocated by the Board was made last year. A teacher of an " aided " school now receives £12 per capita on the average attendance, instead of £9. Pupil-teachers and Probationers. During last year the salaries of pupil-teachers, probationers, and training college students were materially increased, a course that the Board 'hopes will have the effect of offering greater encouragement to induce young people to enter the teaching profession. Manual and Technical Instruction. [See Appendix Cto E. 2 for Manual, and E.-5 for Technical.] E. C. Banks, Chairman. The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington.

TARANAKI. Slit, New Plymouth, 31st March, 1920. I have the honour ou behalf of the Board to present the following report of its proceedings for the year 1919 : Board Members. The constitution of the Board is as follows : Urban District of New Plymouth -Messrs. 11. TI. Grayling and S. G. Smith, M.P. ; Central Ward Messrs. R. Masters (Chairman) and 11. Trimble; North Ward Messrs. F. Hoskin and P. J. H. White; South Ward Messrs. H. J. Eaves and. A. Lees. In consequence of the resignation of Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., an extraordinary election was held on the 30th September, when Mr. Andrew Lees was duly elected a member of the South Ward, and on the 20th November, 1919, upon the resignation of Mr. T. Buchanan an election was held, when Mr. Prank Hoskin was elected a member of the North Ward. Schools. The number of schools under the jurisdiction of the Board at the end of the year was 153, graded as follows : ~ , A Number Grade ' of Schools. 0 .. .. .. .. .. .. ..1-8 6 1 .. . . .. .. . . 9-20 35 II .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 21 35 37 EIIa .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 36 80 53 111b .. .. .. .. .. .. 81-120 9 IVa .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 121-160 3 IVb .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 161-200 2 Va .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 241-280 .1 Vb .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 281-320 2 Vlb .. . . .. .. •• •• •• 451-500 I V 111) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 601 640 1 VIH .. .. .. .. .. •• •• 681-720 2 Vile, .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 721 760 I 1.53 The following new schools were opened during the year —Moeatoa and Vogeltown ; whilst the schools Herangi and Mata Household and the Pitone School were closed. Scholarships. Senior National Scholarships have been awarded to three pupils of the New Plymouth Girls' High School, one pupil of the New Plymouth Boys' High School, three pupils of the Stratford District High School, and one pupil of the Hawera Technical School. Junior National Scholarships were awarded to scholars attending the following schools : Boys' High School, New Plymouth, 1 ; New Plymouth Girls' High School, 1 ; Stratford District High School, 3 ; Manaia, 1 ; West End, 2 ; Motunui, 1 ; Toko, 1. Teaching Staff. The number of teachers, junior teachers, and probationers at the end of the year was 338, as under :— Male. Female. Total. Head teachers .. .. . . .. . . 40 26 66 Sole teachers .. .. .. .. ..12 69 81 Assistants .. .. .. .. ..15 126 141 Junior teachers .. .. .. .. ..1 21 22 Probationers .. .. .. .. .. 3 25 28 71 267 338 The Board respectfully calls the Minister's attention to the disparagement between the number of male and female teachers in the service, and hopes that some better inducement may be devised to encourage young men to enter the teaching profession. Finance. —The credit balance brought forward from 1918 was £3,373 12s. 2d., and the receipts from all sources £106,157 4s. 2d. The total expenditure was £108,367 17s. Id., leaving a credit balance at 31st December of £1,162 19s. 3d. Buildings. —During the. year new schools were erected at Normanby, Okaiawa, Vogeltown, and Arawhata, the three first-named being built in concrete. Additions were carried out to the Fitzroy, Pihama, Finnerty, Kaponga, and Lepperton Schools, alterations and additions to the Okaiawa residence, and an open-air shelter erected at El.th.am. The Normanby and Okaiawa Sohools had to

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