E.—l

88

are in exactly the same position, so that all applications must be dealt with according to their merhs Most, of the new schools have been erected at 'f^»^f al »^^ and in consequence it has been found impossible to introduce the system of half-time schools, which has been found to work satisfactorily in some of the other education districts. Owing to the delay on the part of the Government in allocating the grant for the buildings the Board was obliged to make arrangements with its bankers for an overdraft to meet the labilities incurred in completing buildings already sanctioned, and to clear off existing liabilities the end of the year the Board resolved to defer the consideration of all applications 01 grants for buildings until it was informed as to the amount of grant to be allocated to this district, and as to the thne when it would be realized. It is to be regretted that the Government cannot see its way to make the allocation at an earlier period of the financial year, so that Boards may be in a position to keep their expenditure within the limits of the grant. Scholarships.—The annual examination for scholarships was held on the 17th December last and following days. For the senior class there were eight, and for the juinoi: twenty competitors. The successful candidates for the senior class were Lewis Sangster, South Public School, Invercargill and John G. Fullarton and Bessie Dickenson, Biverton District High School, and toi the junior eLs; John A. Erskine and Charles E. Borne both of the South Publ and Alexander M. Burns, of the Eiverton District High School The scholarsh ?th senioand junior, are tenable for two years, and in cases where the holders can reside at their own houses while attending an authorized school, their value is £20 a year, but in all o her cases they ar, of the value of £40 a year. It may be stated that the special subjects prescribed for 1883 were EiigiishShakespeare's King John (Nelson's Eoyal School Series), and Latin-Csesar s De Bello Galhco, Book 111. Pupil-teachers.—The annual examination of pupil-teachers was held on the 17th of December last and following days, when a considerable number passed the ordeal m a very creditable manner The regulations for pupil-teachers have been amended during the year, chiefly m the direction of the mode°of instructing those employed in the Invercargill schools. The tion referred to " The pupil-teachers shall attend together at one central school in Inveicargill lor one hour every afternoon in the week, and shall be instructed in the following subjects by the headteachers, who shall arrange the work amongst themselves at the beginning of the year by mutual agreement, and report the arrangement to the Board, and, m default of such agreement, shall do the work in such order as shall be fixed by the Board (1) English, including reading, recitation, SDellino- and writing, (2) arithmetic, (3) grammar and composition, (4) geography, (5) history, (o) eCn o t'ar;sc7ence, D (7) l geometry, (B)'algebra, (9) Latin, (10) French, (11) music (12) ,rawing The head-teacher of each school in the City of Invercargill shall be remunerated at the iate of £1 per annum per pupil-teacher for every one of the above-named subjects m which he gives instruction thTpuijl-tecicner is successful in that subject at the annual examination, and otherwise he shall only receive half that amount." ' Income and Expenditure.—A full statement of the details of the Board's income and expenditure for the year is appended. The following is a statement of the income and expenditure of School Committees, as made up from the abstracts received by the Board :— Income. Expenditube. £ s. d. * -Balances 38s 6 ' 8 ' Cleaning schools and fuel . ■ 820 15 2 Irom the Education Board 977 18 8 Kcpairs to buildings, fences, &c. . 210 13 6 From donations, subscriptions, &o. 566 10 10 Books maps, and fumiure 174 17 9 Pm-m other sources . 87 12 2 Towards teachers'salaries 15J o A Iromotner sources . Committees' expenses, stationery, &c. 100 8 1 Sundries .. 17« f j> Balances *'_____ £2,015_8_j £2 - 015 8 4 There is considerable improvement in the abstracts of Committees' accounts for last year This is no doub due to the new arrangements for auditing these accounts rendering the items therein set Iwn much more easy to classify and summarize. There is still a serious defect in these ab B trXfoTms-ar P re S cribed by the department. No provision is made for a statement of the assesand'liabilities of each Committee at the end of the year without which the exact financial nosition of each Committee cannot be ascertained. To show the great necessity for such a stateSent one Compile, at the beginning of 1883, handed over a correct balance-sheet to the new Cdmmittee showing a small credit balance. After a few weeks a number of accounts amounting to upwards of £12 were sent in, of the existence of which the CommitteeJiad never been informed and and unkindly feeling were engendered. All the old Committee had been required to hand over to the new Committee a statement of the assets ,and liabilities along with that of the income and expenditure. The state of matters as regards compulsory attendance, saving-banks, and life insurance, is almost the same as at the date of last year's report. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. John, G- Smith, Secretary,