E.—l

56

Accounts and Finance.—The annual statement of receipts and expenditure is subjoined to this report. The receipts from all sources amounted to £83,928 35., and the expenditure to £74,183 15s. 2d. Against the unexpended balance of £9,744 7s. lOd. there were various outstanding liabilities at the end of the year. The actual net balances at the 31st December, 1888, were —(1) On maintenance account, £990 10s. 5d.; (2) on building account, £748 Bs. 6d. The capitation grant of £3 15s. was expended as follows:— £ s. d. On teachers' salaries ... ... ... ... ...361 per head. On grants to Committees ... ... ... ... 0 5 2 „ On inspection and examination... ... ... ... 0 1 11 „ On office management... ... ... ... ... 0 1 10 „ Total ... ... ... ... £3 15 0 Beductions have been made in the cost of office management and inspection, and in the incidental expenses of schools. A reduction of about £2,000 a year has been effected through the nonemployment of surplus teachers, referred to in an earlier paragraph of this report. The accounts of School Committees have been audited. Their receipts amounted to £5,592 os. 7d., and their expenditure to £4,389 7s. lid.; leaving an unexpended balance of £1,202 12s. Bd. in hand at the end of the year. The Hon. the Minister of Education. J. H. Upton, Chairman. General Statement of Beceipth and Expenditure for the Year ending 31sfc December, 1888. Receipts. £ a. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance at beginning of year— By Balance at beginning of year —On On Playgrounds Account .. .. 550 0 0 Building Account .. .. 345 8 4 On Flavell's deposit .. .. 58 9 0 Office staff—Salaries .. .. 1,006 13 4 On General Account .. .. 5,035 G 3 Clerical assistance —Survey Department 13 19 0 Government grant for buildings .. 9,137 2 0 Departmental contingencies .. .. 605 3 8 Subscriptions and donations for build- Inspectors'salaries .. .. .. 1,226 4 2 ings .. .. .. .. 510 0 Inspectors' travelling expenses .. 417 6 0 Government statutory capitation .. 65,153 6 3 Examination of pupil-teachers .. 34 18 8 Scholarship grant .. .. .. 1,418 6 8 Teachers' salaries and allowances (inInspection subsidy .. .. .. 500 0 0 eluding rent, bonus, &c.) .. 58,162 1 3 Grant for training of teachers .. 250 0 0 Incidental expenses of schools .. 4,538 17 8 Payments by School Commissioners .. 1,524 0 0 Training of teachers .. .. 301 5 0 District High School fees .. .. 31 10 0 Scholarships— School Committees, towards cost of Paid to scholars .. .. .. 1,130 0 0 painting .. .. .. 106 6 6 Examination expenses .. .. 82 0 4 Befund office staff from Girls' High School buildings— School.. .. 33 6 8 New buildings .. .. .. 3,742 13 2 Refund teachers' salaries from Girls' Improvements of buildings .. 647 8 8 High School .. .. .. 25 0 0 Furniture and appliances .. .. 951 5 1 Refund incidental expenses, Kawhia Sites .. .. .. .. 38 12 8 School.. .. .. .. 32 12 6 Plans, supervision, and fees .. 320 5 7 Bank interest on fixed deposit .. 19 5 0 Playgrounds .. .. .. 550 0 0 Bank interest on Flavell's deposit .. 212 2 Bank interest .. .. .. 811 5 Flavell's deposit, with interest repaid.. 6112 Balance at end of year*— On Building Account .. .. 3,142 8 6 On General Account .. .. 6,601 19 4 £83,928 3 0 £83,928 3 0 * Balance as per bank certificate, 9,803 4s. 7d., less unpresented cheques, £58 16s. 9d. = £9,744 7s. 10d. J. H. Upton, Chairman. Vincent E. Bice, Secretary. Examined and found correct.—James Edward FitzGerald, Controller and Auditor-General.

TABANAKI. Sir,— Taranaki Education Board, New Plymouth, February, 1889. I have the honour to transmit the report of the Education Board of the District of Taranaki for the year ending the 31st December, 1888. The Board.—At the annual election in March, Mr. T. Kelly, Mr. E. Olson, and Mr. H. Faull were re-elected to fill the vacancies caused by their retirement in accordance with the Education Act. Mr. T. Kelly was re-elected Chairman. The Board then consisted of the following members— viz.: Mr. T. Kelly (Chairman), Mrs. Bichmond, Miss Heywood, Mr. J. Andrews, Mr. G. A Adlam Mr. B. G. Bauchope, Mr. H. Faull, Mr. E. Olson, and Mr. W. N. Syme. The Board held one special and twenty-four ordinary meetings during the year. The following are the attendances of each member : Mr. Kelly, 25 ; Mrs. Bichmond, 23 ; Miss Heywood, 25 ; Mr. Andrews, 25 •Mr Adlam, 24; Mr. Bauchope, 24 ; Mr. Faull, 25 ; Mr. Olson, 19 ; and Mr. Syme, 25. Schools.—The number of schools open at the beginning of the year was thirty-five, and two new schools have been opened during the year, making a total of thirty-seven in operation at the end of the year. Teachers.—There were seventy-two teachers and nineteen sewing teachers in the employ of the Board at the end of the year, classified as follows, viz.;—