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Technical.—The Technical School now requires additional accommodation to provide for the increasing demands for new classes and more adequate space for the students now attending the : various classes already established, [n his annual report the director deals exclusively with this subject, and emphasizes the steady development of technical instruction and the pronounced success of the institution, which this year has been practically self-supporting. Inspection.—The Inspectors examined all the schools in operation, and inspected all but a few very small distant aided schools. Eight Soman Catholic schools were examined and inspected. The number of children on the rolls of the Board schools for the past year was 15,241, an increase of only thirty on the books over the number for the previous year. Including S7, 8,543 children were passed in standards, an increase of 312 in the number promoted in 1900. Eighty-five schools are classed satisfactory, forty-eight fair, and ten inferior. In the eight Eoman Catholic schools 1,079 children were presented, as against 1,112 in 1900. Of the 644 children presented in standards, 566 passed, showing that the efficiency of the schools is maintained. In the Board schools neither the standard nor the class work show any falling-oif in quality, and there is a distinct improvement generally in the class-work of all the larger schools and in that of many others, especially in grammar, word-knowledge, science, and geography. Teuancy.—Proceedings were taken against eighty-one parents to compel them to send their children to school. Convictions were recorded in every case, and fines imposed on seventy-two parents. During the year the Truant Officer called on 742 parents, representing 971 children whose attendances had been unsatisfactory. After a full explanation of the duty of parents to take steps to insure to their children the fullest benefit of education, the results were generally satisfactory, and but few instances occurred where the visit was necessary a second time. Parents now begin to realise that repeated visits from the Truant Officer are certain to be followed by proceedings in the Court. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. J. E. Blaie, Chairman.

General Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1901. Receipts. & s. d. Expenditure. Government grant for buildings .. .. 5,200 0 0 Balance— £ p. d. Rents from school-site reserves .. .. 71 13 9 On Building Account .. .. 2,846 11 4 Statutory capitation— On General Account .. .. .. 3,927 14 10 Amount paid by Government .. .. 44,317 12 1 Office ataff—Salaries .. .. .. 839 11 8 Amount paid by School Commissioners Departmental contingencies .. .. 656 2 5 (rf serves revenue) .. .. .. 2,075 4 2 Inspectors'salaries and travelling-expenses 1,487 11 9 Addition to statutory capitation—For Truant Officer's salary and expenses .. 228 7 3 teachers'salaries .. .. .. 2,489 5 0 Scholarships— Scholarship grant .. .. .. 929 10 7 Paid to scholars .. .. .. 928 3 4 Inspection subsidy .. . . .. 300 0 0 Examination expenses .. .. 29 18 1 Grant for training of teachers .. .. 200 0 0 Teachers'salaries .. .. .. 40,523 10 S Manual and technical instruction — Teachers'house allowances .. ... 1,567 10 0 Capitation for— Pupil-teachers' lodging-allowances .. 179 3 4 School classes .. .. .. 80 0 0 Incidental expenses of schools .. .. 3,690 10 4 Special classes— School buildings— Continuation .. .. .. 58 0 0 New buildings .. .. .. 698 810 Ordinary .. .. ■ .. 705 011 ] Improvements of buildings .. .. 1,685 6 2 Grants for— Rebuilding schools destroyed by fire .. 4,677 18 2 Swimming .. .. .. 33 4 4 Furniture and appliances .. .. 856 3 7 Apparatus .. .. .. 325 16 11 Rent of buildings used for school purposes 912 6 4 Material .. .. .. .. 33 13 6 Sites .. .. .. .. 401 1 10 Subsidy on voluntary contributions .. 152 0 0 Plans, supervision, and fees .. .. 150 16 0 Grants for rebuilding schools destroyed by Manual and technical instruction— fire .. .. .. .. .. 3,853 3 0 Salaries .. .. .. .. 2,379 14 1 Other receipts for manual and teohnioal Travelling-expenses .. .. .. 11 15 '9 instruction— Printing, advertising, and examination Fees .. .. .. .. 1,370 15 1 work .. .. .. .. 151 19 0 Voluntary contributions .. .. 118 17 0 Arts, crafts, freight .. .. .. 91 14 10 Other reoeipts .. .. .. 64 11 4 Material .. .. .. .. 99 13 10 Balance— Buildings .. .. .. .. 70 11 1 On General Aeoount .. .. 5,532 7 0 Apparatus .. .. .. .. 372 2 2 On Building Account .. .. 2,191 9 2 Cleaning and lighting .. .. 263 7 1 Incidentals .. .. .. .. 316 7 6 Other expenses — Swimming prizes .. .. .. 33 4 4 Bank exohange .. .. .. 54 18 6 I £70,132 3 10 £70,132 3 10 J. E. Blaik, Chairman. A. Doeset, Secretary. Examined and found correct, except that the bank overdraft and the interest paid thereon are without authority of law.— J. K. Waebueton, Controller and Auditor-General.

HAWKE'S BAY. Sic, — Education Office, Napier, 26th March, 1902. I have the honour to forward the following report of the proceedings of the Hawke's Bay Education Board for the year 1901 : — The Boabd. —The Board consists of the following members ; Eev. D. Sidey (Chairman), Messrs. C. A. Fitzroy, C. Hall, M.H.E., S. Johnson, S. McLennon, — Patterson, T. Tanner, J. G. Wostall, and Captain W. E. Russell, M.H.E. School Attendance.—The average attendance for 1901 was 6,869, while the average roll was 8,160. Schools and Eesidences.—The school at Wakarara was closed during the early portion of the year, from the fewness of the pupils attending and the difficulty of obtaining a teacher. On the urgent petition of the residents the Board agreed that the school should be reopened with the commencement of the present year.

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