E.—l

74

district continually increases, there is a steady rise in the proportionate number of children in the upper standards. The percentage of infants on the school-rolls in 1891, as compared with that in 1890, has fallen from 32-81 to 31-29, but the proportion of children who passed in Standards IV.-VI. has risen from 14-11 to 16-97 The same advance is shown in class subjects, in which the average proportion of children on the class rolls in Standards IV VI. who succeeded in passing has risen from 64-13 to 71-73. On the 19th October Mr Wood received leave of absence for the rest of the year on account of ill-health. Mr Poster and Mr Scott, headmasters of Christchurch West and Christchurch East respectively, were appointed Acting-Inspectors. The Board is much indebted to these gentlemen for the zeal and efficiency with which they discharged the duties thus devolved upon them. Normal School.—The Normal School opened this year with forty students (fourteen males and twenty-six females) and the arrangements for their instruction in the practical work of teaching, and in the subjects required for the certificate examination, were conducted in the same manner as heretofore. At the Inspectors' annual examination the practising school acquitted itself on the whole with high credit. The only exception occurred in a part of the boys' department, which was reported upon in less favourable terms. After communication with the headmaster, the Board instituted an inquiry into the matter For the purposes of this report it is unnecessary to say more of the inquiry than that the Board considered the department to be under-staffed. Another assistant was therefore appointed, and it is hoped that the examination report for 1892 will be of a satisfactory character An additional teacher has also been appointed in the girls' and in the infants' department. Scholarships.—During last year an alteration was made in the scholarship regulations, by which the scholarships in Classes C and D were made tenable at any school approved by the Board, subject to inspection, not necessarily in the North Canterbury District. A committee was appointed to consider by what means a more equal distribution of the scholarships could be effected between the town and country schools. The committee had not completed its inquiries at the end of the year, and its recommendations, which have just been submitted to the Board, will properly form a subject for the report of 1892. The annual examination for scholarships for Classes A andß was held on the 17th and 18th December, and that for Classes C and D was held on the 21st, 22ud, 23rd, and 24th December, 1891 The number of candidates examined for Classes A and B was 105 —fifty-five (twenty-eight boys and twenty-seven girls) in Class A, and fifty (thirty-seven boys and thirteen girls) in Class B. In Classes C and D thirteen were examined—seven (four boys and three girls) in Class C, and six (five boys and one girl) in Class D Scholarships were awarded to [six boys and one girl] in Class A, [five boys] in Class B , [two boys] in Class C , [one boy and one girl] in Class D The scholarships current at the end of 1891 were held as shown in the following table [not reprinted] I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. Thomas S. Weston, Chairman.

General Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December 1891. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Credit Balance at beginning of year — By Office staff —Salaries 1,013 0 8 Dr. on Building Account £1,331 2 1 Departmental contingencies 404 8 1 Cr. on General Account 8,537 8 7 Inspectors' salaries 1,191 6 6 7,206 0 6 Inspectors' travelling expenses 187 18 4 Government grant for buildings 10,025 0 0 : Examination of pupil-teachers 138 8 8 Other receipts for buildings— Teachers' salaries and allowances (inChristchurch East Purchase of eluding rent, bonus, &c.) 53,091 8 4 tanks, stand, &c. 20 0 0 Incidental expenses of schools 6,989 6 5 Ferry Road : Refund for repairs to Training of teachers 1,941 15 10 to house 2 0 0 Scholarships— Contractors' deposits 284 10 3 Paid to scholars . 982 3 11 Government statutory capitation 54,202 18 9 Examination expenses .. 78 7 0 Scholarship grant 1,087 4 3 School-buildings— Inspection subsidy 500 0 0 New buildings 3,230 2 3 Payments by School Commissioners 12,041 10 2 Improvements of buildings 2,272 3 0 Rent of gymnasium 7 7 0 Furniture and appliances 546 9 8 Interest . 188 15 0 , Sites 1,085 10 2 Rent of Mandeville Plains site 3 0 0; Plans, supervision, and fees 477 18 5 Education Acts 0 5 0 Contractors' deposits 227 3 0 Interest 2 4 11 Credit balance at end of year — On Building Account 2,532 0 9 On General Account 9,176 15 0 £85,568 16 11 £85,568 16 11 Thos. S. Weston, Chairman. J. V Colborne-Veel, Secretary Examined and found correct.—James Edward FitzGerald Controller and Auditor-General.

SOUTH CANTEBBUBY Sic,- Education Office, Timaru, 31st March, 1892. In accordance with the regulation laid down by "The Education Act, 1877," clause 102, the Education Board of the District of South Canterbury has the honour to present the following report of its proceedings for the year ending the 31st December, 1891: —