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WESTLAND. Sir, — Education Office, Hokitika, 11th February, 1896. I have the honour to submit the report of the Westland Education Board for the year ending 31st December, 1895. The Board. —At the beginning of the year 1895 the members of the Board were Messrs. J. McWhirter (Chairman), J. L. Smith, J. A Boys, J. Staines, J. Grimmond, H. L. Michel, J. R. Hudson, E. Stennard, and McL. W. Jack. In March Messrs. Hudson, Boys, and Smith retired, and Messrs. Hudson, Boys, and J. Chesney were elected. Mr. McWhirter was reappointed Chairman, Mr. Jack Treasurer, Mr. Grimmond School Commissioner, and Mr. Michel representative on the High School Board. Owing to the greatly-regretted deaths of Messrs. Boys and Jack in July and August respectively, extraordinary elections were held: Messrs. J. L. Smith and A. Gumming were elected to fill the vacancies. The Board has held twelve ordinary and three special meetings. The attendance of the members has been as follows : Mr. McWhirter, 15 ; Mr. Hudson, 15 ; Mr. Grimmond, 13; Mr. Michel, 13 ; Mr. Staines, 12 ; Mr. Stennard, 12 ; Mr. Chesney, 11; Mr. Smith, 8 ; Mr. Jack, 7; Mr. Boys, 5; Mr. Cumming, 3. Schools. —During the year thirty-five schools have been open. Of these, three are side schools, four half-time, and eleven aided. Of the latter, eight are household schools. Owing to the peculiar conditions of settlement it is found necessary to maintain a large proportion of aided schools. These, while necessary, are a severe tax on the Board's income, and the educational work of the district is impaired in important directions for want of sufficient funds. It is for this reason that the Board has been unable, by the appointment of even occasional itinerant teachers, to secure due efficiency in physical and technical education. Attendance. —The total roll-number for the district on the 31st December, 1895, was 1,551, a decrease of twenty-three on that of the previous year. The average attendance for the year was 85*3 per cent, of the average roll-number. Teachers. —The number of teachers under the Board is sixty-one, including fourteen pupilteachers and one monitor. An examination of pupil-teachers in the first, second, and third years was held in December, when of twelve candidates eleven passed. Scholarships.—As the result of the annual examination, held in December, four scholarships, of the annual value of £23, £15 10s., £8, and £5 10s. respectively, tenable for two years, were awarded. Finance.—During the year £849 12s. 3d. has been expended in connection with the Building Account. A balance of £743 remains for the expenditure of the present year. An improvement in the attendance owing to the comparative absence of epidemics, combined with rigorous economy, has resulted in a still further reduction in the debit balance in the General Account. This balance has been reduced during the year from £184 12s. lOd. to £79 12s. Bd. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. John McWhirter, Chairman.

General Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Tear ending 31st December, 1895. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance at beginning of year on Build- By Balance at beginning of year—General ing Account .. .. .. 840 16 9 Account .. .. .. 184 12 10 Government grant for buildings .. 750 0 0 Office staff—Salaries .. .. 165 0 0 Government statutory capitation .. 5,085 18 9 Departmental contingencies .. .. 161 16 2 Scholarship grant .. .. .. 101 14 0 Inspector's salary .. .. .. 175 0 0 Inspection subsidy .. .. .. 175 0 0 Inspector's travelling-expenses .. 86 2 6 District High School fees .. .. 120 17 6 Examination of pupil-teachers .. 13 5 0 High School Board subsidy .. .. 60 0 0 Teachers' salaries and allowances (inOther receipts .. .. .. 11 3 0 eluding bonus, &c.) .. .. 4,538 16 11 Balance at end of year on the General Incidental expenses of schools .. 213 18 3 Account .. .. .. .. 79 32 8 Scholarships— Paid to scholars .. .. .. 101 4 0 Examination expenses .. .. 10 10 0 School buildings— Improvements, &c. .. .. 829 12 6 Other expenses .. .. .. 2 0 0 Balance on Building Account.. .. 743 4 6 £7,225 2 8 £7,225 2 8 John McWhirter, Chairman. A. J. Morton, Secretary. Examined and found correct. —James Edward FitzGerald, Controller and Auditor-General.

REPORT ON THE DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL. Hector's Class (examined 6th, 7th, and 9th December, 1895). This class consists of seventeen pupils, of whom eight are in the first year, four in the second, and five in the third or fourth. Of the first-named division, two pupils, who have studied during only part of the year in a limited number of subjects, were absent. The absence of a pupil in the advanced division was owing to illness. Of the remaining fourteen pupils the work done during the year is very satisfactory. No pupil obtained less than 52 per cent, of the total marks in the compulsory subjects, and a very large majority secured more than 70 per cent. The three pupils most successful in their respective divisions are—E. Fitzgibbon, 2nd year, 96 per cent. ; J. C. Malfroy, 3rd year, 91 per cent. ; Minnie Potts, 3rd year, 89 per cent. The result achieved by the first-named is exceptional.