E.—l2.

education in this neighbourhood, and, with such funds as it has, are of a judicious and helpful character. The annual financial statement, forwarded a few weeks ago by the Secretary, will, of course, show the state of our funds. George Barclay, Chairman.

2. General Statement of Accounts for the Year ended 31st December, 1902. Receipts. £ a. A. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. 828 15 5 Management— Endowments — Salary of Secretary .. .. .. 12 12 0 Current income from reserves .. .. 211 2 4 Other office expenses .. .. .. 3 0 0 Interest .. .. .. .. 42 10 0 Teachers' salaries and allowances .. 60 0 0 Bank interest on fixed deposits ".. .. 22 15 7 Examinations—Examiners'fees .. .. 4 4 0 Loans on mortgage prior to 1902.. .. 850 0 0 High Sohool fees .. .. .. 19 5 0 Prizes .. .. .. .. 7 2 0 Printing, stationery, and advertising .. 12 10 4 Cleaning, fuel, light, &o. .. .. 12 0 Members' travelling-expenses .. .. 3 0 0 Exohange .. .. .. .. 0 4 6 Bank oharges, 10s. ; bank interest, 9s. .. 019 0 Balance at end of year (inoluding investments on mortgage) .. .. .. 1,831 4 6 £1,955 3 4 . £1,955 3 4 Geo. Barclay, Chairman. G. H. Graham, Secretary. Examined and found correct. —J. K. Warburton, Controller and Auditor-General.

WAITAKI HIGH SCHOOLS. Staff. Boys' School.—Dt. J. R. Don, M.A., D.Sc, F.C.S., F.G.S.; Mr. W. G. Grave, 8.A.; Mr. Thomas A. Hunter, M.A.; Mr. Robert J. Thompson, B.A. ; Sergeant-major Kebblewhite ; Mr. V. Booth; Mr. J. Hardeman; Mr. R. F. Meldrum ; Mr. F. Jones ; Miss Dawson. Girls' School.— Miss C. Ferguson, M.A. ; Miss V. M. Greig, M.A.; Miss M. O. Cunninghame, B.A. ; Miss McCaw; Sergeant-major McPherson. 1. Beport of the Governors. The Board of Governors have to report for the year ending the 31st December, 1902, that during the year they advertised freely in order to ascertain how many pupils would be likely to take advantage of the free education offered, as per circular "Free Places in Secondary Schools," receiving in response only three eligible notices of acceptance. Therefore the Board regret they could not see their way to come under the scheme. Girls' school: The Board have to heartily thank the Minister of Education for the grant of £3,000 to be devoted to the purchase of site and erection of new girls' school. Two acres and a quarter in the town have been secured, the site being considered in every way suitable. The building is now well advanced, and is expected to be ready for occupation in a few months. Both girls' and boys' schools are progressing. At the boys' school the class-room accommodation is quite inadequate to the requirements. Each term the Bector has to refuse admittance to boarders, owing to the shortage of room. As an evidence, the class-room accommodation now available is equal to seventy pupils, whereas the attendance is about one hundred. Therefore in the near future it is clear that further provision will have to be made. Donald Borrie, Chairman.

2. General Statement of Accounts for the Year ended 31st December, 1902. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance in hand, grant from vote of the Overdraft at beginning of year .. .. 588 1 1 General Assembly, new girls' school .. 576 0 0 ManagementEndowments— Offioe salary.. .. .. .. 75 0 0 Current revenue from reserves .. 1,481 6 0 Petty cash .. .. .. .. 17 4 5 Interest on moneys invested .. .. 7 0 0 Other expenses of management—Ranger, Paid by School Commissioners .. 72 1 6 £7 10s. ; law fees, £7 Is. ; drill-instruc-School Fees— tors, £13 6s. Bd. .. .. .. 27 17 8 Boys' .. •• •• •• 617 10 0 Teachers' salaries and allowances—Boys, Girls' .. .. • • • • 196 13 4 £887 103.; girls, £438 15s. .. .. 1,326 5 0 Prizes .. .. .. .. 5 5 0 Printing, stationery, and advertising .. 55 4 0 Cleaning, fuel, and light .. .. 90 12 6 Site and buildings— Purchase of land .. .. .. 430 0 0 Fencing, repairs, &c. .. .. .. 183 11 11 Rates, insurance, and taxes .. .. 25 2 3 Interest on current account .. .. 31 2 3 School appliances .. .. .. 12 1 6 Incidentals .. .. .. .. 7 5 5 Chairman's expenses, two trips to Wellington .. .. .. .. 10 0 0 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 65 17 10 £2,950 10 10 £2,950 10 10 ~ Donald Borrie, Chairman. A. McKinnon, Secretary. Examined and found correct, except that the payment of £10 is without authority of law, and is therefore disallowed. —J. K. Warburton, Controller and Auditor-General.

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