E.—l.

District High Schools.—Two new schools have been established, one at Dannevirke South and the other at Woodville. The former has increased in attendance, but from diversity of opinion upon the matter the District High School building has not yet been erected. The Woodville School is held in a portion of the district school building, but this will not meet the requirements as the school is rapidly increasing. National Scholarships.—National scholarships were awarded by the Board to Florence Vivian Rich, of Havelock, and Harry L. Exell, of Wainui; both go to the Napier High School. Technical.—A good deal is being done in the way of carrying out the provisions of the Manual and Technical Instruction Act. A committee of control has been appointed by the Board to further the establishment of special classes. The committee consists of the Chairman and another member of the Board, a representative of the Napier Borough Council, and one of the Napier High School, with the Inspector of Schools. Similar committees are being established at Hastings, Dannevirke, and Woodville. They will all act under the immediate control of the Board. At Gisborne the High School Board, established under a special Act, is now busy erecting buildings as an adjunct to the secondary classes of the District High School. It is hoped arrangements will be made to establish Saturday classes for teachers similar to those so successfully carried on in Napier and Dannevirke during, the past year. Superannuation.—The Board desires to point out to the Minister the closing remarks of the Inspector in his annual report having reference to the superannuation scheme for teachers, with which it fully concurs, and trusts the Minister will adopt some scheme whereby a retirement allowance can be granted to aged and worthy teachers. Finance.—The accounts of the Board's income and expenditure for the year 1903 is forwarded herewith. The amount paid for teachers' salaries, £24,696 16s. lOd.; to School Committees, £2,405 3s. Id.; and the amount expended (exclusive of technical) on the purchase of sites, erection of school buildings, and repairs, was £6,596 lis. I have, &c, Thos. Tanner, Chairman Hawke's Bay Education Board. The Right Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington.

General Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1903. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure, £ s. dBalance at beginning of year .. .. 4,72115 10 Staff—Salaries and clerical assistance .. 850 0 0 Grants from Government for— Office contingencies .. .. .. 670 19 8 Teachers' and pupil-teachers salaries, and Teachers' and pupil-teachers' salaries, and allowances to pupil-teachers.. .. 21,195 711 allowances to pupil-teachers .. .. 24,696 16 10 Reserves revenue for primary education 3,163 2 6 Relieving-teachers salaries .. .. 127 3 4 Capitation at lis. 3d., and grant of £250 4,220 8 3 Incidental expenses of schools .. .. 2,457 1 0 Capitation for relieving-teachers .. 176 9 6 Transfer to Building Pund Account .. 1,000 0 0 Refunds .. .. .. .. 13 5 6 Scholarships and examination expenses .. 538 4 6 Grants from Government for— Salaries of staffs of District High Schools, Scholarships.. .. .. .. 518 18 0 paid out of special receipts .. .. 671 3 4 District High Schools .. .. 280 8 2 Other expenses of Gisborne School .. 34 12 6 Receipts from other sources—District High Manual and technical instruction— School fees, £94 2s 3d., Gisborne High Instructors' salaries and travelling - exSchool Board, £227 3s. 3d. .. .. 321 5 6 penses .. .. .. .. 250 12 0 Grants from Government for manual and Students' travelling-expenses .. .. 61 12 2 technical instruction — School classes .. .. .. 123 6 1 Capitation on attendance at classes .. 338 9 8 Special classes .. .. .. 237 16 5 Material for class-work .. .. 64 2 8 Other expenses — Office salaries, £15 ; Instruction of teachers .. .. 154 7 6 printing examination - papers, £13 Subsidies on voluntary contributions and 18s. 6d. .. .. .. .. 28 18 6 bequests .. .. .. .. 20 0 0 Maintenance of school buildings, &c. .. 1,954 8 7 Receipts from other sources—Bequests, £20; House-allowances .. .. .. 465 11 3 sale of certificates, £9 3s. 6d.; sundries, New schools, additions, sites, &c. .. 4,642 2 5 £8 os. 9d. .. .. .. .. 37 4 3 Buildings, class-rooms, furniture, &c, for Grants from Government for— manual and technical purposesGeneral maintenance of school buildings 2,700 0 0 School classes .. .. .. 56 3 5 House-allowances .. .. .. 423 7 4 Special classes .. .. .. 515 8 1 New school buildings, furniture, &c. .. 1,570 0 0 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 2,615 13 3 Technical-school buildings, fittings, &c. 530 7 9 Sale of sites .. .. .. .. 454 11 0 Donations .. .. .. .. 74 12 0 Transfer from General Account .. .. 1,000 0 0 Other receipts—Rents .. .. .. 19 10 0 £41,997 13 4 — £41,997 13 4 Thos. Tanner, Chairman. 29th March, 1904. G. T. Fannin, Secretary.

MARLBOROUGH. Sir,— Blenheim, 14th March, 1904. I have the honour to present the report of the Education Board of the District of Marlborough for the year ending the 31st December, 1903. The Board.—-At the beginning of the year the Board was composed of the following persons : Messrs. J. C. Chaytor, John Duncan, A. G. Fell, Charles Ferguson, A. J. Litchfield, Richard

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