76

E.—l

Balance- shee*. Liabilities. £ s. d. Assets. £ s. d. Balance due to depositors on 31st December, Cash in Post Office Savings-Bank, including 1880 ... ... ... ... 20 2 6 interest to 31st December, 1880 ... 21 3 1 Surplus of funds to meet liabilities ... 10 7 £21 3 1 £21 3 1 Audited and found correct. —George Howe. No Town, 21st January, 1881. Public Librabies.'—The Board cannot but regret that the subsidies hitherto paid to public libraries through the Education Boards have been discontinued. The public library, at all events in the country districts, may be regarded as the complement of the public school, and, when properly conducted, exercises an important salutary influence upon the community. Perhaps it may hereafter be in the power of the Government to resume the payment of these subsidies; and, if so, it may be suggested that the Boards intrusted with the distribution of the grant should have some slight control over the management of such institutions to the extent of guarding against the danger of their becoming mere circulating libraries of trashy novels, and of seeing that the provisions of the Public Libraries Act are faithfully carried out. School Libeaeies.—Early in the past year the Board passed a resolution by which they undertook to subsidize libraries established in connection with any public school by a contribution of £1 for every £1 raised by public subscriptions or donations. This was, howrever, only taken advantage of by the Hokitika School Committee, who, having raised the sum of £42 10s. for this purpose, applied for and obtained a similar amount from the Board, the only condition imposed being that the list of books selected should be submitted for the approval of the Board, which was accordingly done. The resolution is still in force, but, owing to the reduction in the Board's revenue, it must for the present remain a dead-letter. -Teachees' Certificates. —The Board are of opinion that to expect candidates for teachers' certificates to pass in drawing and music before they can obtain full certificates is very unfair to many who may be physically incapable of attaining proficiency in these subjects, especially the latter. The practice in England and in most of the neighbouring colonies is to grant special certificates for these subjects, without which no person is allowed to teach them. It is suggested that some such arrangement should be made in this colony, but that ordinary teachers' certificates should be obtainable irrespective of proficiency in music and drawing. Amendments in TnE Act.—Further experience has fully confirmed the opinions expressed in the Board's last report as to the necessity for certain amendments in the Act of 1877. In addition to the amendments then suggested, the Board would most strongly advocate a complete change in the method of electing School Committees. It would also be an improvement if Committees were elected in March instead of January. Under the present arrangement it happens that the old Committee nominates the persons for the vacancies in the Board, and the new Committee gives the final vote or votes. It would also be an advantage in connection with the yearly " Abstracts of School Fund Account." These are unfortunately often found to be incorrect, and must be returned for correction to the new Committee, who, possibly not having been in office during the previous year, would not be in a position to make the necessary corrections. By order of the Board. The Hon. the Minister of Education. E. T. Robinson, Secretary.

G-eneeal Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Tear ending 31st December, I*BBo. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance, Ist January, 1880— By Office and BoardSpecial Building Grant ... ... 409 16 1 Office staff, salaries ... ... 328 13 4 Grants from Government— Departmental contingencies ... 541 10 5 Statutory capitation (£3 155.) ... 8,624 7 4 School InspectionGrants to Committees (10s.) ... 668 1 8 Salaries ... ... ... 386 13 4 Scholarships (Is. 6d.) ... ... 86 18 1 Travelling expenses ... ... 153 6 8 Inspection subsidy ... ... 300 0 0 Teachers' salaries and allowances ... 8,475 3 5 Specially for buildings ... ... 6,200 0 0 School Committees, for educational purPayments by School Commissioners poses ... ... ... 1,096 6 0 from education reserves ... 7t 13 6 Scholarships —Paid to holders ... 192 10 0 From Public Libraries Vote ... 215 8 6 Insurance of school-buildings ... 139 4 11 Other receipts (refunds, &c.) ... 69 1 1 School-Buildings— School books and material ... ... 568 0 4 New buildings _ ... ... ... 2,601 0 6 Balance ~, ~. ... ... 1,113 4 2 Enlargement, improvement, and repairs ... ... ~. 1,829 11 5 School furniture and appliances (not included in preceding) ... 872 1 9 Improvement of sites ... ... 779 16 4 Plans, supervision, &c. ... ... 280 3 8 Library Committees, out of Public Libraries Vote ... ... 215 8 6 School books and material ... ... 336 7 6 Bent of buildings and sites ... ~, 101 13 0 £18,329 10 9 £18,329 10 9 Geehaed Mueller, Chairman. E. T. Robinson, Secretary. I hereby certify that I have examined the above accounts, compared them with the vouchers, cashbook, ledger, bank pass-book, and other documents connected therewith, and I find them correct and according to law, —W. A. Spence, Auditor, Hokitika, 31st March, 1881.