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Meanee, 150 ; Napier, 80, Norsewood, 50 , Ormondville, 200, Patangata, 211, Patutahi, 200 ; Porangahau, 482, Taradale (books on their way from England) Takapau, 219; Wairoa, 250. The Board hopes that the time is not far distant when each school in the district will have a library established for the use of the pupils, and when every School Committee will deem it as an essential part of every well-equipped school. Scholarship Examination.—The usual examinations of pupil-teachers and candidates for scholarships took place in the month of July Ten pupil-teachers of the fourth year, eight of the third, ten of the second, nine of the first, together with eight candidates for pupil-teachers and thirteen candidates for scholarships, presented themselves for examination. On the result of the scholarship examination, the Board awarded scholarships to John Williamson, Mary Grubb, and Eobert Renouf, all of them from the Napier District School, but Williamson resigned his scholarship, and has since been appointed a pupil-teacher Mary Grubb and Robert Eenouf will attend the Napier high schools during the terms of their scholarships. In connection with the training of the pupil-teachers, the Board desires to express its gratification at the concession made by the department whereby a certain number of the pupilteachers, on the completion of their term of service in the Board schools, are now able, by means of scholarships, to enter themselves as students at one of the colleges established for the training and preparation of teachers. The ex-pupil-teachers to whom scholarships have been granted are— Annie Corbyn and Kate Harrison, from the Napier School, and Mary Morgan and Jane Brown, from the Gisborne School. Eecently the. Board also granted scholarships to Oscar Alpers, of the Napier District School, and Eobert Eyder, of the Havelock School, and they will proceed to the Wellington or. Christchurch Training College at the opening of the session in April of the present year School Buildings.—During the year the building operations of the Board have been far too limited, considering the urgency of the requirements. It is to be regreted that the funds annually placed at the Board's disposal for building purposes are so inadequate that works of most pressing urgency cannot be undertaken; also that what funds are allocated are only placed at the disposal of the Board near the end of the financial year. A year ago it was pointed out that there were 5,395 children of school age in the district, and, further, that the accommodation then was insufficient for the requirements of the children attending school. Since that report was made the attendance in the Board schools has increased more than 9 per cent., and the Board, to meet some of the most pressing cases, has been compelled to incur liabilities to the extent of nearly £1,800 in anticipation of the building grant for the current year. The works undertaken and completed before the close of the school year include the erection of an infants' school at Gisborne, a school-house at Frasertown, additions to the school-houses at Port Ahuriri, Taradale, and Meanee, a teacher's residence at Makatoku, and improvements to the school-house at Patangata and the residence at Woodville. Most of the larger schools in the district are full, and at Matawhero, near Gisborne, the school is crowded to suffocation, the attendance being more than sufficient for double the present accommodation. A special report from the Inspector points out that the children attending the school are suffering from giddiness and sickness, brought on by the vitiated school atmosphere. At Woodville,- Hastings, and Clive, also, the accommodation is not nearly sufficient for the requirements of those districts. Applications have been received for the erection of school-houses at Mangatua, near Woodville, and Te Arai, in the Poverty Bay district, and school-houses are badly wanted at Waerenga-a-hika, Patutahi, Ongaonga, Takapau, and Mohaka. Twelve residences are also required for the accommodation and convenience of teachers. Since 1878, that is, during the past six years, the grants received by the Board for building purposes have amounted to £29,647 55., and the following are the principal ways in which the money has been expended : —(1.) Twenty-nine school-houses have been erected, affording accommodation for 3,200 pupils. (2.) Twelve school sites have been purchased. (3.) Nineteen residences have been built and improved. (4.) All the schools in the district have been supplied with modern appliances and apparatus. (5.) The school sites have been fenced and made suitable as playgrounds for the children. From this it will be seen that the Board has had to provide accommodation for nearly the whole school population of the district. At the lowest estimate £10,000, in addition to the amount of the liabilities already incurred, will be required to place this district on a sound educational footing as far as school buildings are concerned. School Committees.—The Board again desires to express its appreciation of the work done by the majority of the School Committees. In most of the districts the compulsory clause is nominally in force, and there is generally a Visiting Committee appointed in each district to see to the wants of teachers and pupils. There is a growing pride among them in regard to the neatness and satisfactory state of the residences, school-houses, and grounds, and comparatively large sums of money are annually collected by them for the improvement of the school-buildings and supplying gymnastic apparatus for the physical training of the pupils. During the past year Napier, Meanee, and Tarawera stand pre-eminent in this respect. New Eegulations.—During the year new regulations have been passed relating to the teaching staff to be employed in all schools with an average attendance varying between 30 and 600, anil a new scale of salaries for the payment of assistant teachers has been approved, both of which are appended. Income and Expenditure.—The income received by the Board as capitation allowance and inspection subsidy was £10,970 2s. 10d., which, added to £82 6s. 9d.,the balance on December 31st, 1882, gives a total income for the School Fund of £11,052 9s. 7d. The expenditure during the same period for salaries, bonuses, and payments to School Committees amounted to £10,791 16s. 2d., leaving a balance to the credit of the School Fund of £260 13s. sd. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. J. D. Ormond, Chairman.