E-.—l

90

I hereby certify that I have examined the books and vouchers of the School Commissioners of the Provincial District of Auckland for the year ending 31st December, 1885, and that I find them to be correct.—L. A. Dueiueu, Auditor. 26th February, 1886.

TAEANAKI. Sib,— New Plymouth, March, 1886. In compliance with Circular No. 81/17, dated the 12th December, 1885, I have the honour to report that at the commencement of the year, the Ist January, 1885, the members of the Board were T. King, Esq. (Chairman), Charles Douglas Whitcombe (Commissioner of Crown Lands), District Judge Eawson, Messrs. Robert Parris and Elisha Veale. On the 9th February Mr. Whitcombe resigned, and His Excellency the Governor appointed Thomas Humphries, Esq. (Chief Surveyor and Commissioner of Crown Lands), in his room. On the 15th February Mr. Elisha Veale resigned, and the Education Board appointed Mr. Robert George Bauchope, at that time Chairman of the Education Board, in his room. Since then no changes have taken place. The Commissioners have held twelve ordinary and four special meetings during the year. A return ordered by the House of Representatives on the 22nd July, 1885, has been prepared and forwarded. The circular received from the Education Department applying for this return intimated that it would be desirable to report generally as to the cause or causes of some reserves remaining unlet. The secretary, in his letter, dated the 22nd January, 1886, enclosing the return, stated what "appears to the Commissioners to be the chief cause—viz., the shortness of tenure. An application was made by the Education Board to the Commissioners, at their meeting on the 4th December, 1885, requesting them to purchase the site in Courtenay Street vested in the Education Board as a site for a high school by the High School Act of the Ist November, 1878. This site was considered much too small for a high school, and the Commissioners were requested by the Chairman of the Education Board (Mr. Benjamin Wells) to set apart a more suitable site. This was done, and is noted in Mr. Wells's report to the Minister of Education, dated March 27, 1880 (see last paragraph of third annual report of Minister of Education). A primary school has been built on the site originally intended for the high school, and is connected with the Central School. Under these circumstances, and considering the 18th clause of the Reserves Act of the 29th November, 1877, the Commissioners did not see their way to accede to the request. A general statement of the receipts and expenditure is appended to this report. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education.. T. King, Chairman,

General Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ended 31st December, 1885.

'eccijits. Primary Education Ecscrves. Secondary Education Reserves. Total. To Balances on 1st January, 1885... Balance of Land Fund Arrears of revenue for previous years Bents, &c, of reserves for current year Transfer fees Eents of reserves for 1886 Land Fund— Proceeds of land taken for railway purposes Interest ... ■ £ b. a. 11 6 2 CO 16 0 261 1 10 403 0 5 8 0 0 8 11 0 £ s. a. 5 19 9 217 9 7 145 2 2 102 3 C £ s. A. 17 5 11 278 5 7 406 4 0 505 13 11 8 0 0 8 11 0 3 10 0 13 19 0 13 5 5 13 19 0 30 14 5 Total receipts 756 5 5 497 19 6 1,254 4 10 Expenditure ly Salaries and allowances to officers Printing, stationery, &c. Expenses of leasing—advertising, &c. ... Expenditure on reserves — Surveying... Fencing, &c. Eates Legal expenses Payments to Taranaki Education Board Payments to Wanganui Education Board Payments to Taranaki High School Balance of Land Fund Balance on 31st December, 1885 £ s. a. 80 13 2 3 14 7 6 4 0 £ s. a. 32 18 4 14 1 1 17 0 £ s. a. 113 11 6 4 18 8 8 10 4 0 0 51 13 8 25 1 6 359 11 2 165 8 10 2 12 6 } 67 5 3 8* 19 1 3 0 4 28 1 10 ) 525 0 0 183"'O 0 183 0 0 309 0 0 15 6 7 Total expenditure 1,254 4 10