E.—4.

1893. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: INSTITUTION FOR DEAF-MUTES. [In Continuation of E.-4, 1892.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. EXTEACT FKOM SIXTEENTH ANNUAL EePOBT OF THE MINISTER OP EDUCATION. The number of pupils at the Sumner school at the end of 1891 was 50 ; by the end of 1892 it had declined to 46. The expenditure for 1892—£3,447—is less by £172 than that of the preceding year ; the contributions made by parents — £493 —exceed those of 1891 by £169. A change has been made in the management, in conformity with the recommendation of a Commission, after mqiiiry held last November. A steward and matron have been appointed, and the housekeeping expenses are directly defrayed by the Education Department; and the arrangement under which, according to the agreement made with him in England, the Director received a capitation payment for the board of the pupils has been cancelled. The items of the expenditure for 1892 are : Salaries, £1,259 ; board of pupils, £1,520; rent, £399; travelling, £33; Commissions of Inquiry, £75 ; sundries, £161.

No. 2. Eepokt op the Dibectok. I k ) Institution for Deaf-mutes, Sumner, 18th May, 1893. I have the honour to report on the institution for the year 1892. The number of inmates for the first half amounted to forty-six ; that for the second to fortyseven —viz., thirty-one boys and sixteen girls. In July two left, leaving forty-four, and three entered, making forty-seven. The proportion of pupils from the South Island to that of the North Island was as twentyseven to eighteen, and two attended from Australia. The localities of the South Island pupils may be indicated thus : Eiverton, 1; Greenhills, 1 ; Invercargill, 1; Pembroke, 1; Lawrence, 1; Mosgiel, 1; Dunedin, 3 ; Portobello, 1; Moeraki, 1; Hook, 1; Timaru, 3; Geraldine, 2 ; Methven, 1; Christchurch, 5 ; Papanui, 2 ; Heathcote, 1; and Eiccarton, 1. Those of the North Island: Thames, 1; Auckland, 3; Gisborne, 1; Napier, 1; Patea, 1; Wanganui, 2 ; Bull's, 1 ; Marton, 1; Masterton, 1 ; Wellington, 6. A large proportion of the pupils —viz., thirteen—left the school at the end of 1892. Of those who left and had., comparatively speaking, finished their school education, all except one made good or satisfactory progress during the time of their stay; the exception being a girl whose mental powers are weak and whose temperament is peculiar. The staff of teachers has undergone a change ; one resigned of her own accord, and another was requested to retire. The two vacancies have been filled by the appointment of two new assistants. The Director's special thanks are duo to Mr. John C. Allan, head assistant master, for his able and willing support given during the past year. The same remark applies to the work of Miss van Asch, whose valuable services to the institution it will be difficult, for a time, to replace.