95

£.—1

CANTBEBUEY. Sir, — Christchurch, 6th January, 1890. In accordance with Order in Council of date 17th December, 1878, and in terms of circular from the Education Department, dated the 18th of December last, I have the honour to forward report of the School Commissioners for the Canterbury Provincial District for the year ended the 31st December, 1889, together with a copy of their accounts, duly audited. The total area of the primary-education estate under lease on the 31st of December, 1889, is 44,514^- acres, producing an annual rental of £15,635 3s. 4d. There are now 686f acres of the estate unlet: of this, 640 acres is contained in a reserve the lease of which fell in, and it is being withheld until the Government re-let the " Blackford Bun," with which it is an important adjunct; and the remaining 46f acres consists of sandhill and shingly plain, and is comparatively valueless. The fixed deposit of £100, which matured on the 21st of December, 1889, has been redeposited for one year ; and a further sum of £81 11s. sd. was deposited at the same time and for the same period, it being deemed inexpedient at present to purchase land, for which purpose only are these sums available. The interest when received will be added to the primary estate as revenue. During the past year twenty reserves have been re-let for fourteen years. Of these, two were let by arbitration under clause 245 of " The Land Act, 1885 ; " twelve (small ones) by tender ; and six (large ones, containing in all 4,408 acres), after subdivision into twenty-six farms, by tender—with the result that twenty-two tenants were obtained where formerly only five occupied, and an addition to the rental of £581 2s. 4d. per annum. During the year 1890 the leases of six reserves fall in which are only fitted for pastoral purposes. One small one will be re-let, by arbitration, to a tenant who is living on same with a large family ; and the others will be let by tender, and it is certain some loss of revenue will ensue upon the re-letting of same, as two of these are at present bringing rents far above their value. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. * H. E. Webb, Chairman.

General Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1889.

ecevp )s. Primary Education Estate. Total. £ s. a. £ s. d. 144 6 10 34 6 10 651 17 3 To Balance brought down from 31st December, 1888 Arrears due 1st May, 1889, from last account Arrears due 1st November, 1889, from last account Moneys payable within the year 1889, and collected, viz. — On account of half-year's rent payable in advance on the 1st May, 1889 On account of half-vear's rent payable in advance on the 1st November, 1889 ... 7,346 I 4 6 6,966 i 3 9 14,312 8 3 Other receipts— Geraldine Road Board—Payment for 1 acre 1 rood 26 perches of land, taken out of Reserve No. 1210, for road diversion Akaroa County Council —Payment for 3 acres 2 roods 16 perches of land, taken under Public Works Act, out of Reserve No. 1220, for road diversion ... Bank of New Zealand—Interest on £100 placed on deposit for one year (see statement of 31st December, 1888) 9 0 0 40 0 0 5 0 0 Total receipts 15,196 19 2 Expenditure. By Office expenses and management— Salary of steward Stationery and postage ... £ s. a. 540 0 0 10 15 8 £ s. d. Expenses of leasing— Advertising, printing, and lithograph plans ... ... Christchurch Survey Department —Subdivisional survey of Reserves Nos. 1112, 1125, 1129, 1202, 1203, and 1204 ... Arbitrators' fees, assessing rental of Reserves Nos. 1232 and 1208 63 15 11 145 4 8 7 7 0 550 15 8 216 7 7 Carried forward 767 3 3