85

X.—l

curved by -the Government in respect of scholarships is, in the opinion of the Board, amply justified. As a result of this examination, two scholarships, each of the annual value of £35, and a similar number of the value of £20 per annum, and tenable for a period of three years, were awarded. As provided for in the regulations, five additional scholarships, of the value of £20 each, but tenable for one year only, were also awarded to the candidates who stood next on the list. The sum paid to the scholarship holders whose names were on the books of the Board during the year amounted to £446 7s. 4d. During the year, but subsequent to the date of the examination before referred to, the Board amended its scholarship regulations in several important particulars : 1. The maximum age at which candidates are permitted to present themselves was raised from fourteen to fifteen years. 2. The programme of study, which was previously identical with that prescribed for Standard V. in our publicschool course, was raised so as to be equivalent to Standard VI. By the introduction of these changes a greater number of intending candidates will now be enabled to complete the ordinary standard curriculum, and thereafter, if successful in obtaining a scholarship, pursue their studies at the secondary school prescribed in the regulations. Pupil-teachebs.—The annual examination of pupil-teachers took place, as in former years, in the month of June. The following is a tabulated list, snowing the numbers of examinees who presented themselves in each of the various classes :— Presented. Passed. Failed. Class I. ... ... ... ... 13 ... 12 ... 1. „ 11. ... ... ... ... 14 ... 12 ... 2 „ HI. ... ... ... ... G ... 6 ... 0 „ IV. ... ... ... ... 2 ... 2 ... 0 Totals ... ... ... 35 ... 32 ... 3 In addition to the foregoing, all of whom are in the.service of the Board, there were present at the examination twenty-five candidates for future vacancies in this branch of the service. Of these latter, seventeen passed, while the remainder failed to satisfy the requirements of the examiners. These results go to show that, on the whole, pupil-teachers in this district are receiving careful tuition in the various subjects set forth in the syllabus of instruction. Of those who have passed the firstclass examination in previous years, a number have been promoted to positions as assistants in large, or head teachers in small, schools throughout the district, where they give evidence of future success in the profession. The regulations which have done duty for the past six years were subjected to a thorough revision during the year, and several important alterations made. These, as amended, were printed and distributed in December, and came into operation on the Ist January, 1890. The following is perhaps worthy of special notice : For the purposes of instruction the regulations provide that in the Town of Invercargill the pupil-teachers shall attend at one central school for one hour each day in the week (Saturdays included), and there be instructed by the head teachers in turn, the order and sequence of the work being arranged by mutual agreement. Accounts of School Committees.—These, as heretofore, continue to be methodically and carefully kept, except in a few isolated instances. The scale of allowances to School Committees for incidental expenses was revised during the year, and the sum hitherto paid increased by 10 per cent. This alteration in the scale places Committees on the same footing as they were prior to the retrenchment reduction of the previous year. The grants paid by the Board to School Committees for the year amounted to —(1) for incidental expenses, £1,441 19s. 6d.; (2) for special purposes, £346 lls. 3d.; making a total of £1,788 10s. 9d.; the first-mentioned amount being equivalent to about 4s. sd. per head on the average attendance for the year. The Board reports with pleasure that Committees throughout the district raised locally a sum of £754 during the year to supplement the moneys received as above. The total income of Committees from all sources was £3,106 19s. 4-Jd. The summary of School Committees' accounts (Eetum No. 10), compiled from the duly-audited abstracts sent in by each Committee in the district, shows accurately how this sum was expended. The Board is of opinion that School Committees as a whole exercise due care in preserving and improving the appearance of the property under their control; and expend the funds intrusted to them with care and discretion.. Buildings. —Throughout the year just ended the Board has, as usual, been somewhat restricted in its expenditure on school buildings, the obvious reason being want of funds sufficient to meet the requirements of the district. It has, however, expended a stun of £1,300 9s. lOd. on new buildings and additions, £772 7s. 9d. on repairs and improvements to those already in existence, and £164 in furniture and appliances. The principal works carried out in the course of the year have been the erection of new schools at Balfour, Waimatuku, Oteramika Gorge, Wairekiki, and Waikana; while very necessary additions have been made to the schools at Invercargill South, Invercargill Park, One-Tree Point, and Orepuki. New residences have also been built at Otara and North Wairio. On the sth July last the school building at North Invercargill, consisting of three well-built rooms, was totally destroyed by fire, together with most of the furniture and apparatus. An inquiry as to its origin failed to elicit any reliable information to show how the disaster occurred. With the concurrence of the Government., a contract was entered into for its re-erection. The sum set down as the value of the building destroyed was, however, found insufficient to meet the cost of a new structure of similar dimensions, and the Board was therefore compelled to undertake the erection of a smaller building, containing only two instead of three rooms. This, however, it is thought, will meet the requirements of the district for some little time to come. A claim for the sum promised by Government Tvill be made very shortly. In no less than twenty-four school districts the teachers are as yet unprovided with residences, while in six districts the buildings used for school purposes are not the property of the Board. Seeing that the Board has to make provision for the renewal, maintenance, and improvement of nearly two hundred buildings (schools and residences) under its control, it is easy to understand