75

E.—l.

expenditure shown against each school in Eeturn No. 7,* it will be seen that a large sum has been devoted to improvements at the city schools. This expenditure was necessary to complete the sanitary and drainage works, enabling those in charge of the schools to flush all drains and outhouses readily and effectively, full advantage being taken of the ample water-supply now available. In consequence of the inability of the Board to acquire sufficient school buildings within the city, the Maintenance Account has to bear a heavy annual charge for rent of rooms, which cannot be deemed satisfactory except as a temporary expedient. The amount so expended during the past year is £329 10s., the money being apportioned as follows :Te Aro, £150; Ghuznee Street, £60; Courtenay Place, £30; Thorndon, £39; Terrace, £36; Johnsonville, £10; and Gladstone, £4 10s. Taking into account the fact that many of the country schools cannot show an average attendance sufficient to earn the cost of carrying on, and yet in mere justice should still be maintained for the reasons above stated, this charge bears heavily on the moneys available. Office Staff.—The only increase during the year in the office staff has been the appointment of a clerk at a salary of £50 per annum. The extra work thrown on the Secretary in the audit of School Committees' accounts rendered this assistance absolutely necessary. The appointment of the Board's Secretary to audit the accounts of School Committees has shown that in past years the Committees in some districts did not seem to realize the fact that in dealing with public moneys it was necessary that a strict record should be kept. Considerable difficulty was experienced in dealing with accounts submitted by several District Committees from the fact that books and papers in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act had not been carefully kept. In most instances, however, the accounts have been accurately prepared and submitted for audit in a clear form, bank-book and vouchers being all in order, and the cash-book showing clearly every item of expenditure and receipt. It would nevertheless greatly facilitate both the proper keeping and audit of school accounts if the department were to furnish for the use of-School Committees a suitable book, with printed headings, for the purpose, which should remain the property of the Board. Scholarships.—A competitive examination for scholarships was held on the 26th November last, and, in accordance with the examiners' report, scholarships tenable for two years from the Ist January, 1885, were awarded as follows : Philip Mason, £30; Edward Geisen, £20; Henry Booth, £30; Jessie Nairn, £30; Charles Archibald, £20; Arthur Burgess, £20; Albert Bright, £20; Jessie Galloway, £20; Eosa Smythe, £20. District High School. —The Masterton District High School, which was opened in the early part of the year, has an attendance of nine pupils for the higher work, which embraces Latin, algebra, Euclid, -and French, each subject being taken by a competent teacher, whose remuneration is derived from the fees received. The fact of this school being available for scholarship-holders had the effect of inducing a greater number of candidates to come forward from the Wairarapa schools for these prizes, and has been the means of three promising pupils taking full advantage of the opportunity offered them to carry their education beyond the limits of the Board School course. No additional expense has been incurred in the working of this brarjch of the ordinary public school. Inspection.'—From the Inspector's Annual Eeport it will be seen that the number of Standard passes has increased from 2,774 last year to 3,918 this year, the percentage for the whole district being 88. The report gives full and valuable information on this subject. Tuition and Training of Pupil-teachebs.—The Board, feeling that young persons of the age of thirteen, and who had only passed Standard V., were hardly qualified to undertake the management of a class of children, decided to appoint only those who had reached the age of fifteen and who had passed the Sixth Standard. Experience has shown that the change was desirable, as at the present time candidates for appointment under the pupil-teacher regulations of this Board are mostly well qualified to undertake the work required of them, and no difficulty is experienced in obtaining applicants. The system of massing the pupil-teachers, within the city, and appointing instructors who may be considered to have special qualifications to impart an accurate knowledge of the subject assigned to them, each instructor being responsible for the work done in his particular branch of study, has proved satisfactory. Care is taken that each instructor is selected according to his position and fitness for the post. One set of papers for the examination of all pupilteachers in the colony would, it is believed, prove of great advantage to the pupil-teachers, as well as to the whole system of training from the admission of the pupil-teachers until the expiration of the apprenticeship. Of course this cannot be brought about unless the pupil-teacher regulations of all the Boards in the colony are made uniform. In this district the real term of apprenticeship is not considered to have expired until the pupil-teacher has completed two years of what might be termed " special training "in the Training College. The Beard holds out no hope of good appointments to those who take advantage of the clause enabling them to obtain a district licence instead of pushing on for the certificate. Training College.—The.report of the principal of the Training College gives full particulars of this year's work. The Hon. the Minister of Education. J. E. Blair, Chairman.

* Appendix, Table No. 11.