Bl.—l.

General Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1903. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ a. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. 2,646 410 Staff salaries and clerical assistance .. 1,346 4 2 Grants from Government for— Office contingencies .. .. .. 731 10 8 Teachers' and pupil-teachers' salaries, and Teachers' and pupil-teachers' salaries, and allowances to pupil-teachers .. .. 32,025 16 11 allowances to pupil-teachers .. .. 35,620 12 3 Reserves revenue for primary education 2,374 0 9 Training of teachers .. .. .. 497 8 0 Capitationat lis. 3d.,andgrant of £250 5,714 0 0 Drill-instruction .. .. .. 70 0 0 Capitation for relieving-teachers .. 242 17 0 Conveyance of children .. .. 12 0 0 Conveyance of school-children .. 48 0 0 Incidental expenses of schools .. .. 2,191 12 4 Drill-instruction .. ~ .. 70 0 0 Truant inspection .. .. ~ 230 10 0 Receipts from other sources— Scholarships and examination-expenses 632 14 11 Pees—Teachers' classes .. .. 115 6 9 Salaries of staffs of District High Schools, Pines—Truant inspection .. .. 48 0 0 paid out of special receipts .. .. 1,950 6 7 Grants from Government for— Science apparatus .. .. .. 16 910 Scholarships .. .. .. 728 4 7 Manual and technical instruction— District High Schools .. .. 1,792 0 0 Instuotors'salaries and travelling-expenses 1,119 4 0 Receipts from other sources— School classes .. .. .. 5 12 6 District High School fees, £247 55., Special classes .. .. .. 23 10 10 voluntary contributions, £15 .. 262 5 0 Office salaries, £5 16s. Bd., incidental Grants from Government for Manual and expenses, £114 17s. 2d. .. .. 120 13 10 technical instruction— General maintenance of school buildings, &c. 2,732 10 4 Capitation on attendance .. .. 377 7 5 House-allowances .. .. .. 957 011 Material for class-work .. .. 9 19 7 New schools, additions, sites, &e. .. 6,248 15 11 Instruction of teachers .. .. 150 0 0 Buildings, class-rooms, furniture, &c, for Subsidies on voluntary contributions .. 227 7 6 manual and technical purposes : — Receipts from other sources— School classes .. .. .. 583 18 10 Pees, £737 10s. 6d., voluntary contribu- Special classes .. .. .. 965 6 10 tions, £250 Bs. Bd., material sold, Plans and supervision .. .. .. 391 3 10 £3 17s. 6d. .. .. .. 991 16 8 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 840 3 7 Grants from Government for— Maintenance of school buildings .. 5,711 13 4 House-allowances .. .. .. 966 4 9 New school buildings, furniture, &o. .. 1,311 17 4 Technical-school buildings, fittings, &c. 1,418 9 9 Other receipts— Material sold .. .. .. 40 6 7 Sohool-sites leased .. .. .. 43 14 1 Donations .. .. .. .. 69 11 4 Refund .. .. .. .. 2 6 0 £57,387 10 2 £57,387 10 2 Geo. S. Bridge, Chairman. 11th May, 1904. W. J. Carson, Secretary.

WELLINGTON. Sir, — Education Board Office, Wellington, 31st March, 1904. In accordance with the provisions of " The Education Act, 1877," I have the honour to transmit the following report of the Wellington Education Board for the year ended the 31st December last. Board. —At the beginning of the year the Board consisted of the following members : J. R. Blair (Chairman), F. Brady, W. C. Buchanan, E. Feist, A. W. Hogg, J. Kebbell, R. Lee, J. Robertson, and J. Young. On his return from South Africa in March, at the expiry of his leave of absence, Mr. -Blair decided to retire from the Board, of which he had been a member for twenty-two years, for twenty years of which he had been Chairman. The Board regretted very much the step taken and placed on record, in appreciation of his services, the following resolution : " The Board places on record its deep regret at the retirement of Mr. J. R. Blair after a service of over twenty years. From first to last the confidence and esteem of members for Mr. Blair have been unabated, and the cordial relationship between them during his long presidency has enabled difficulties of no ordinary magnitude to be surmounted and some of the most important works in connection with the schools of the Wellington Education District to be carried out. The interest that he has ever taken in the welfare of the schools and their teachers has made Mr. Blair's name a household word in every home and hamlet in the district. The Board, while regretting its loss expresses the hope that he may long be spared to perform the duties of good citizenship, and to enjoy the companionship of the many who know his worth as a public man and a useful colonist." Mr. Bradey, Acting Chairman and Treasurer during Mr. Blair's absence, was elected to the vacant position. At the special election in July to fill the vacancy on the Board, Mr. William Allan was elected out of four candidates. The three retiring members were Messrs. A. W. Hogg, J. Kebbell, and J. Young. In August, Mr. Hogg and Mr. Kebbell were re-elected, and Mr. W. H. Field was elected in place of Mr. Young. During the year the Board held twelve ordinary, two special, and one emergency meeting.

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