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408. You think that a colonial scale should be brought into operation?— Yes. 409. Do you think you would be able to get more assistant teachers?— Yes. Of course, our scale is more economical, for we employ pupil-teachers, while the proposed scale introduces assistants. 410. Mr. Hogben.] What period of time did you consider when drawing up your estimate of the expenses of your Board ?—Up to the end of 1899. I got the list of expenses from Mr. Ellis. 411. Do you know the items the list included?— Yes; I have it here. 412. Did it include office expenses, salaries, travelling allowances and expenses?—-Yes. 413. Clerical assistance to the treasurer? —Yes. 414. Departmental contingencies?— Yes". 415. What are the items included under the head of " Departmental contingencies," do you know ?—No, I do not. 416. It is rather important, because the amount is £450 19s. Bd. Does it include the training of teachers ?—My list does. 417. What is included under the head of "Training of teachers"?— The allowance paid to head-teachers for the instruction of pupil-teachers. 418. Well, you may deduct that: what does it leave then ?—-£202 is the amount paid for the training of pupil-teachers. 419. Are you aware that in Otago, Auckland, and Wellington nothing extra is paid ?—No, I was not aware of it; it has been the rule here to pay. 420. You would not consider it unjust to include that in the increased salaries to head-teachers where there were pupil-teachers?—No, I should not, 421. Then you could deduct £202?— Yes. 422. You do not know the amount you could deduct for departmental contingencies ? —No. 423. Did you notice that in the suggested scheme the amount now paid by Boards for similar expenses is £59,973 according to present scales, and that under the proposed scheme the amount payable to Boards for such purposes would be £65,303 ?—Yes. 424. So that the total available amount for the colony would be raised?— Yes. 425. If it were based on that year it would be simply a question of distribution of that £65,000 odd ?—Yes. 426. Then, if the difficulty occurs for this district it would not occur for the colony as a whole ?—No. The largest item on my list was Committee allowances, £912 7s. 6d. a head. 427. Do you know the duties of the Committee—what they are expected to do in the Nelson District for this sum per head ?—Yes ; the upkeep of buildings, cleaning, firing, and so on. 428. Do you think that the upkeep of buildings is properly charged against the ordinaryallowance?—Yes, I think so. The Committee are on the spot and should do the work. 429. Do you not think it should be met out of the building grant ?—Yes. 430. Ordinary repairs also out of the building grant ?—Yes ; but then there is the difficulty of allocating the grant. The Committee would need to return an account to the Board. 431. Do not the returns of Committees' allowances allow for such discrimination?—l assume so. 432. In that case would there be any great difficulty in refunding the amount they give for small repairs ?—lt could be done. 433. Of the expenditure of £1,972 we would have to take what has been spent on buildings for repairs : have you any idea of the proportion that would be of the allowance of 7s. lOd. a head? —No. 434. Still, there is a possible sum there that might reduce the whole amount ? —Yes. 435. Supposing you gave a sum of £500 instead of £250, the amount of capitation would be hardly increased, and you would get an increase of £250 : would that not go towards meeting the difficulty ?—Yes. 436. With regard to the staffing of the schools in Nelson itself, can you tell me what is the highest salary paid to a male teacher ?—£3oo. 437. What is the salary paid in a school of 960 under the proposed scale?—£3B2. 438. Is there a residence in addition to the £300 you state? —No. 439. If the Board gave house allowance besides, by any special means afforded it, you would assess that at about £50 or £60 extra ? —Yes. 440. What is the salary of the next highest male teacher ? —£2oo. 441. Under the scale what would it be ?—£2so. 442. The third under your scale ?—£lBs. 443. Under the suggested scale?—£lBo. 444. The fourth under your scale ?—£l2o. 445. Under this scale ?—£l4o. 446. You have not compared the two ?—No. 447. With regard to female assistants, what is the salary of your highest-paid female teacher' —£180. 448. What would she receive under the suggested scale?—£2oo. 449. What does your next female teacher receive?—£l7s. 450. On this scale?—£2oo. 451. An increase of £25 ?—Yes. 452. And so on all the way down?— Yes. 453. My object is to show that there is only one teacher who would lose £5 a year; that others would gain appreciably : there would be no lowering of the teachers' salaries in the Nelson District ?—No. 454. You say you are of opinion that assistance should be given when a school has passed 30 : speaking of mixed schools, with all standards, including infants, you think it is desirable to get assistance when the number passes 30?— Yes.