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are now established at Murchison, Motueka, Nelson, and Westport, and the dental officers work the outlying districts from these centres. There are still certain portions of our district that do not receive the benefit of this great boon, and it is hoped that with the extra nurses that should be available soon the service will be extended. Physical Instruction. —I regret that once again we have to record failure to secure the appointment of a permanent instructor for this district. Two instructors come over from Wellington for short rushed visits, generally towards the end of each year. Our repeated applications bring the old reply, that the matter of a permanent appointment is under consideration. The district warrants such an appointment, and the Board trusts a full-time instructor will be allotted in the near future. Manual Instruction. —Manual-training classes were conducted at Denniston, Millerton, Westport, Reefton, Wakefield, Nelson, Motueka, and Takaka. Classes in agriculture were conducted at eighty-eight schools, and instruction given to 1,388 pupils Agriculture and dairy work were taught to 316 pupils in twelve schools. Instruction in handwork was given in every school. The material supplied by the Department arrived earlier than previously, and this enabled early distribution to schools. The Board is also pleased to record that the material was of a good quality, although in some lines the quantities allowed were too small. Special instructors in needlework were employed at twenty-nine schools in charge of male teachers. Technical Instruction.—-The majority of technical classes in the district are controlled by the Boards of Managers at Nelson and Westport, but the Board continues to conduct technical classes in cookery, dressmaking, and woodwork at Motueka and Takaka. General. —The Board desires to record its sincere appreciation of the courteous and sympathetic treatment it has received from the M nister and officers of the Department. To the teachers, Inspectors, Secretary, office staff, Architect, and manual instructors the sincere anks of the Board are due for the loyal manner in which all have carried out their duties. I have, &c., The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. W. H. Mclntyre, Acting-Chairman.

CANTERBURY. Sir, —■ I have the honour to present the following report of the proceedings of the Board for the year ending 31st December, 1925 : — The Board. —During the year the respective wards were represented as follows : Christchurch Urban Area—Messrs. E. H. Andrews, W. Johnson, C. S. Thompson, and W. H. Winsor. Timaru Urban Area —Messrs. J. G. Gow and J. Maze. Middle Ward—Messrs. W. A. Banks and W. P. Spencer. South Ward—Messrs. G. W. Armitage and T. Hughes. North-west Ward—Messrs. H. J. Bignell and R. Wild. Schools. —During the year schools were opened and reopened at Charwell Forks, Gray's Corner, Gore Bay, Long Bay, Okarito, Taramakau, Wallis Siding ; while those at Arthur's Pass, Ashley Gorge, Carleton, Cooper's Creek, Jackson, La Fontaine, Lyttelton Heads, Okarito Forks, Oxford West, were closed, four on account of a consolidation scheme at Oxford. Secondary departments were added to the Methven and Sumner Schools during the year. Buildings and Sites. —New school buildings were erected at Clarkville, Dobson, Killinchy, Kumara, Little Akaloa, New Brighton South (portable), Otira, Richmond, Southbridge (portable), Spreydon West, and Woodend. Additions were made at Ashburton East, Cashmere, Fendalton, Linwood, Lyndhurst, Oxford, Shirley, and Wataroa, whilst remodelling was carried out at Belfast (infants'), Rangiora, Runanga, and Waimate. During the year the Te Roto School at the Chatham Islands was, unfortunately, destroyed by fire. A new residence was erected at Ohoka, and remodelling and additions were effected at Lowcliffe. The following works were also put in hand during the year : New schools at Christchurch West (second wing), Harihari, Papanui, Southbridge, and Training College (second wing). A commencement was also made with remodelling at Waimataitai and additions at Timaru West. The Board, through its Architect, has made special features in building modern schools of ventilation and sunlight —in the erection of what may be termed " fresh-air schools." It has expressed itself in favour of the open-air principle, and the experiment of a complete school at Fendalton on the bungalow type will shortly be completed. During the year a sub-committee was set up to select sites for new schools in certain suburban districts in Christchurch. Finance. —The total expenditure on all services was £471,938 14s. 3d., an increase over the previous year of £13,666 9s. 6d., most of which was for improvement of teachers' salaries. There are only two accounts in respect of which the Board can be said to have any control —i.e., the Buildings Maintenance Fund and the Administration Fund ; all the others are severely governed by regulations, and the Board's power consists purely of claiming money that may have been expended or contracted for. While the grant for maintenance of buildings is fixed, the Board is permitted to spend this as it thinks fit. The Board would respectfully but emphatically point out that the maintenance grant is, even with the exercise of the strictest economy, from present-day experience, proving inadequate, for the following reasons : (1.) Most of the older schools, built forty or fifty years ago, have outlived their usefulness and require replacement. They can be maintained and remodelled into a comparative state of efficiency only at considerable expense. (2.) The high prices ruling for labour and material are embarrassing the Board —e.g., the cost of painting has doubled or trebled. At best the Board, with its present grant, is unable to do more than repair the worst of its schools.

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