E.—l.

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other secondary schools which are supposed to occupy a more advantageous position. The Waimate High School Board of Governors has generously continued to contribute towards the cost of maintaining an extra teacher in Waimate, and in consequence the syllabus of work in the secondary subjects taken up in this school exceeds that which it has been found possible to overtake in Temuka. In each school two graduates are now at work, and, with the relief in respect of the number of standard pass-subjects granted by the new regulations, mere pupils may be expected to avail themselves of the advantages placed within their reach. Pupil-teaohees.—The annual pupil-teachers' examination was held in June last, and was, as usual, conducted by the Board's Inspector. This Board sympathizes with the wishes expressed in some quarters to have a common system for pupil-teachers throughout the colony, and a common examination. At all events, if a common examination be not found either desirable or practicable, it can see no obstacle in the way of securing a community of practice in the matters of appointments and promotions, and of adopting some general regulations in regard to the subjects of study and the standards of attainments. The usual returns and reports are appended. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. Samuel W Goldsmith, Chairman.

General Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1885. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. & s. d. To Balance at beginning of year— By Office staff, salaries .. 255 0 0 On Building Account GGI 8 2 Clerical assistance 5 3 0 On General Account 273 13 5 Departmental contingencies 314 14 11 Receipts for buildings— Inspector's salary 450 0 0 Government grant for buildings 2,830 0 0 Examination of pupil-teachers 65 15 2 Subscriptions and donations for build- Teachers' salaries and allowances (inings, Itangatira Valley 10 0 0 eluding rent, bonus, &c.) 10,911 2 10 Half cost of gymnasium 27 2 3 Incidental expenses of schools 1 115 15 5 Balance, sale of old site, Waimato 195 8 5 Scholarships— Government statutory capitation (£3 Paid to scholars 237 5 0 155.) 0,800 15 11 Examination expenses 51 4 4 Special capitation (55.) GGI 2 1 School buildings— Scholarship grant (Is. Gd.) 230 13 10 New buildings 2,22G 13 6 Inspection subsidy 300 0 0 Improvements of buildings 371 2 3 Grants for other purposes 2 G 0 Furniture and appliances 298 13 2 Payments by School Commissioners for Sites 145 16 6 primary education 2,G95 11 2 Plans, supervision, and foes 128 G 8 District high school fees 55 12 0 Refund to Maintenance Account 1,G33 14 10 From depot 272 15 2 Balance at end of year on General AcBents 72 1 2 count 1,589 2 9 Committees' contributions 21 0 0 Waimate Board of Governors fiG 5 0 Refund to Maintenance Account . 1,638 14 10 £19,799 9 11 £19,799 9 11 Samuel W Goldsmith, Chairman. J IT. Bamfield, Secretary I have audited this account, and have compared the items with the various vouchers, and find it correct. The balance at bank is accurately stated.—J Olliviek, Provincial District Auditor. 17th March, 1886.

WESTLAND. Sic, — Hokitika, 9th March, 1886. The Education Board of the District of Westland, in accordance with clause 102 of the Education Act, has the honour to present the following report of its proceedings during the year 1885:— Boabd. —At the commencement of the year the Board consisted of the following persons: Messrs. Eichard John Seddon, John McWhirter, McLean Watt Jack, and Frederick Dale, elected by the local Committees, and Messrs. Gerhard Mueller, Henry Richardson Rae, and Robert Caldwell Reid, nominated by the Government. Mr. Richard John Seddon was elected Chairman. As required by clause 4, subsection (5), of " The Westland Education District Subdivision Act, 1884," two of the elected members, Messrs. MeWhirter and Dale, retired (by ballot) from the Board, and the former gentleman and Mr Charles Rose were elected to fill the vacancies so caused , and, Mr Reid having resigned his seat, it was filled by the nomination of Mr Joseph Grimmond. There have been twenty meetings of the Board during the year, four of which were special meetings, and one was an adjourned meeting. The average attendance of members has been five per meeting. Schools. —There are now twenty-two schools in the Westland District, three having been added to the number at work at the beginning of the year The large proportion of very small schools adds considerably to the comparative cost of management, but it is, in the opinion of the Board, a very important part of its duty to assist the progress of settlement by encouraging the establishment of schools in outlying districts as early as possible, and though at some of these little beyond the " three Rs " can be attempted for some time, yet that is preferable to allowing the children to grow up in entire ignorance , and as population increases, so will these schools improve both in size and efficiency It will be seen from the return (No. 5) sent herewith that there are nine schools having fewer than twenty-five scholars, and five of these have fewer than fifteen.