E.—]

REPORT ON HOKITIKA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL. (Number of scholars on roll:—Passed Standard VI.: M., 13; F. 9: total, 22.)

Eepoet on the Examination of the Secondary Class. At the date of examination the class consisted of 22 pupils, including 14 in the first year, 5 in the second year, and 3 in the third year. Of those in the first year, four joined during the last three quarters, and have not attempted the full year's course. Six pupils of the class were holders of scholarships under the Board. The progress of the pupils of the second and third years has been very commendable. With • hardly any exceptions the papers presented in the various subjects by each pupil were at least satisfactory. The results in the various subjects were—in English, algebra, and French, very good ; in Latin, Euclid, and chemistry, good ; in arithmetic and geography, satisfactory. The result in each subject prepared by the pupils in the first year is satisfactory, and in English and algebra the average standard is good. A. J. Mokton, 8.A., Inspector.

NOETH CANTEEBURY. Sm,— Christchurch, 19th March, 1902. I have the honour to present the following report of the proceedings of the Education Board of the District of North Canterbury for the year ending the 31st December, 1901: — The Boaed. —The three members —viz., Mr. Dalziel, Mr. Hardy, and Mr. Scott—who under the provisions of "The Education Act, 1877," would have retired on the 31st March, 1901, continued in office until the 12th August, in accordance with the provisions of "The Education Boards Election Act, 1900." At an election held on the 22nd July under the last-mentioned Act Mr. Hardy, Mr. Scott, and Mr. Dalziel were re-elected members of the Board. The Board held nineteen meetings during the year, of which two were special meetings. The Buildings Committee met eighteen times, the Appointments Committee thirty-three times, and the Normal School Committee twelve times. Buildings.—During the past year, owing to the very large number of schools requiring repairs and renovations, the Board's expenditure has largely exceeded the grant made by the Government for school buildings. Of the works in progress at the beginning of the year, a substantial addition to the Addington School, a new school at Hanmer Plains, and teachers' houses at Lowcliffe, Euapuna, Eyreton, and Okain's Bay have been completed. A new school has also been erected at Homebush, and additions made to the teachers' houses at Flaxton (Main) and Overdale. Extensive renovations and improvements, involving heavy expenditure, have been carried out at the following schools —Ashburton, Christchurch West, Christchurch East, Kaiapoi, Sydenham, and the Normal School; while in each of a number of other districts the outlay on buildings has not been far short of £100. In November, 1901, owing to the position in which the Board was placed with regard to its Building Account, application was successfully made to the Department for an advance of £2,000. Although this advance enabled the Board to meet its most pressing requirements, the relief can only be regarded as temporary, inasmuch as with a large part of the Board's share of the vote for school buildings — with which it is expected to carry on till next year— already absorbed, there still remain numerous unsatisfied applications for improvements and

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Subject taught. Class. Number of Pupils in Glass during Last Quarter of Year. Work done during the Year. English... I. 14 Smith's Grammar ; Merchant of Venice ; The Traveller (238 lines). Same as first year, and Goyen's Principles of English Composition. Book I., to proposition 26. Book I., and easy exercises. Books I., II., and III., and exercises in Book I. Four simple rules, and factors. H.C.F. and L.C.M., fractions, square root, simple equations (without problems), easy identities. Syllabus of the Junior Civil Service Examination. Longmans' Book II. (the main parts to page 392.) Euclid ... II. III. I. II. III. I. II. 5 1 31 14 4 1 14 5 Algebra Geography French ... Latin ... III. I. II. III. I. II. I. II. III. I. II. III. 3 14 5) 31 9 3 15 4 3 10) i Longmans' Book II., including the physical geography. Chardenal, Part I., 78 exercises. Chardenal, Part I., 172 exercises. Via Latina, to page 50, Via Latina, to page 102. Via Latina, to page 144, and Scalse Primae. Chemistry Cheetham's (first year), to page 93.