53

H.—l

Statement of Assets and Liabilities as at 31st December, 1877.

Balance-sheet of Receipts and Expenditure in respect of Education Reserves for the Tear ended 31st December, 1877.

OTAGO. Sir,— 30th March, 1878. In accordance with the provisions of " The Education Act, 1877," the Board of the Education District of Otago has the honor to submit its report for the year 1877. The Board's last report was for the twelve months ending on the 31st March of the present year; but, as the Education Act provides that the Board's annual report shall bo for the year ending 31st December, it has been necessary, for a complete statement of their transactions and proceedings, to include the last three months of the past educational year in the present report. The schedules issued by the department for the annual returns of attendance, &c, differ somewhat from those formerly adopted by the Board, and the tables of statistics hereunto appended are consequently less voluminous. Iv these tables the schools are arranged under counties and districts, and, where schools are situated in municipalities, these also are shown. Number of Schools and Teachers. Including the two free schools in Dunedin for the education of destitute children, the Industrial School, and that in connection with the Benevolent Institution, there were 165 elementary schools in operation under the Board at the end of the year 1876. New schools have been established during the present year at the following places —viz., Ravensbourne, Heriot, Glenkenieh, Ngapara, Broad Bay, North Blueskin, South Oamaru, South Wyndham, Dipton, and Table Hill. The half-time schools at Hamilton and Sowburn, which were closed during part of 1876, have been reopened; and a new school at Dunback has been worked as a half-time school, in conjunction with that at Inch Valley. These additions to the former number of schools make a total increase of 10 schools for the year 1877. The number of elementary schools now in operation, leaving out of account those connected with the Industrial School and the Benevolent Institution, is consequently 173. The practising department of the Normal School, and the five grammar schools, are included in the above statement. In these 173 schools there were employed at the end of the year 356 teachers —viz., 188 schoolmasters, 61 schoolmistresses, 19 teachers of sewing, 26 male pupil-teachers, and 62 female pupilteachers. The total increase in the number of teachers has been 27—viz.: Schoolmasters, 13 ; schoolmistresses, 4 ; teachers of sewing, 1 ; male pupil-teachers, 4 ; and female pupil-teachers, 5. The excess of the increase in the number of teachers over that iv the number of schools is due to the growth and expansion of many of the older-established schools. New Schools sanctioned. In addition to the new schools opened during the year, the Board has sanctioned the establishment • of schools at Goodwood, Forest Hill North, Otautau, Forest Hill Railway Crossing, Ryall Bush, Athol, Tuapeka West, Gore, Hedgehope, and Wyndham. The school buildings at Athol, Otautau, Hedgehope, and Forest Hill North, are now completed, and will be opened in the course of a few weeks. There are also a number of applications for aid towards the establishment of schools not yet disposed of by the Board. School Attendance. A table showing the attendance at the different elementary and grammar schools, the ages of the pupils, and the names and official incomes of the several teachers and pupil-teachers, is hereunto

Assets. Liabilities. 1877—Dec. 31. Do Cash iu Bank—Buildings ,, „ Maintenance ... £ s. d. ... 9,814 7 8 ... 6,322 14 5 .1877—Dec. 31. £ s. d. £ s. d, By Liabilities — Buildings — Works in hand, estimated ... ... 9,355 4 5 Buildings —Deposits on contracts ... ... ... 202 12 0 / 9,557 16 6 Maintenance— Office ... 60 0 0 „ Land revenues 144 17 5 „ Scholarships 142 14 0 347 11 5 By Balance—Buildings ... 256 11. 3 „ Maintenance ... 5,975 3 0 6,231 14 3 Total Assets ... £16,137 2 1 Total Liabilities ... £16,137 2 1

Receipts. £ a. d. Expenditure. £ b. d. luburban and Rural Lands— ' | By Collection of Rents, &e.— To rents collected for current year ... 5,889 16 11 Reports and condition of reserves ... 148 1 8 Jents in Arrear — Printing and advertising ... ... 94 3 10 To amounts collected on account of subur- Legal expenses ... ... ... 880 ban and rural lands ... ... 2,632 11 1 Balance carried to Education Fund Account ... ... ... ... 8,271 14 6 Total ... ... ... £8,522 8 0 Total ... ... ... £3,522 8 0