E.—l.

Of the schools that took up manual work early in the year, seventy-one have carried on the instruction with sufficient regularity to entitle the Board to grants from the Department. About eighty schools have submitted particulars of classes proposed to be held during the present year. There is still some difficulty in supplying material and apparatus for these classes. It is not practicable for teachers to submit complete requisitions until the close of the preceding year ; this leaves the Board insufficient time to obtain the material and apparatus which has to be imported. The difficulty can be best met by the Board anticipating the year's requirements by ordering beforehand what may be termed " current lines," leaving the purchase of articles not in general use until the requisitions have been sent in; the amount now in hand and due in respect of classes already held will enable the Board to adopt this course for the future. Further simplication in the returns required of teachers appears necessary, among which may be mentioned that of the average attendance for the year, which, with benefit to all concerned, might well be made the ordinary average attendance of the class instructed. District High Schools. —In addition to the district high schools in operation at the date of last report—viz., Akaroa, Amberley, Darfield, and Kaiapoi, the public schools at Southbridge, Oxford East, Lyttelton, Kaikoura Town, and Lincoln have been provided with secondary departments, specially qualified assistants having been appointed in each case. At Kaikoura Town the support promised at the inception of the movement towards secondary instruction has by no means been realised; the Board hopes that the residents will be successful in their present endeavour to obtain at least the minimum number of pupils necessary if the benefits of a secondary department are to be continued. School Cadet Corps.—During the year a detachment of cadets has been formed in connection with the Amberley Public School. The several corps in the North Canterbury District have been formed' into two battalions, Major G. J. Smith being in command of No. 1 and Captain F. W. Sandford of No. 2. Two battalion parades have been held during the year, also an annual inspection, when the cadets were favourably commented -upon by Colonel Loveday, Officer Commanding Public School Cadets. The Board trusts that a cadet corps will shortly be formed in connection with the Lyttelton School, which will complete the movement so far as the larger schools are concerned. I have, &c, H. W. Pbryman, Chairman. The Right Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. •

General Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1903. Receipts. £ a. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year ~ .. 2,203 5 6 Staff salaries and clerioal assistance .. 2,301 2 9 Grants from Government for— Office contingencies .. .. .. 970 2 9 Teachers' and pupil-teachers' salaries, Teachers' and pupil-teachers' salaries, and and allowances to pupil-teachers .. 43,355 2 9 allowances to pupil-teachers .. .. 56,254 18 4 Reserves revenue for primary education 14,182 2 3 Training of teachers .. .. .. 1,720 16 1 Capitation at lis. 3d., and grant of Drill-instruction .. .. .. 50 11 2 £250 .. .. .. .. 9,355 15 3 Conveyance of school-children .. .. 50 0 0 Capitation for relieving-teachers .. 404 14 3 Incidental expenses of schools .. .. 5,922 10 7 Training of teachers.. .. .. 500 0 0 Truancy Office .. .. .. 167 12 2 Conveyance of school-children .. 101 10 0 Visit of Squadron—Advertising .. .. 916 1 Other grants— Accident insurance premium .. .. 15 15 0 Refund of hire of drillshed, Kaiapoi .. 8 0 0 Reserve 777—Exchange .. .. 0 0 6 Refund for gas .. .. .. 0 5 0 Scholarships and examination expenses .. 1,246 3 0 Receipts from other sources—Rent of Salaries of staffs of District High Schools, buildings, £4 2s. 6d. ; refund of wharf- paid out of special receipts for such age, 3s. 3d.; rent of sites, £13 4s. ; Edu- schools .. .. .. .. 784 12 5 cation Acts, 3s. ; rent of reserves, Manual and technical instruction— £32 4s. 6d.; Truancy Office, S.M. Court Instructors salaries and travelling-ex-fees, £24 Is. 6d. .. .. .. 74 18 9 penses .. .. .. .. 138 15 0 Grants from Government for— School classes .. .. .. 83 3 3 Scholarships .. .. .. 1,215 17 3 Special classes .. .. .. 184 911 District High Schools .. .. 462 16 8 Managers of associated classes .. 676 510 Receipts from other sources — Other expenses— District High School fees .. .. 3 0 0 Office salaries, £20; teachers' classes, Akaroa High School Board .. .. 100 0 0 £34 ss. Bd. ; rent of Lancaster Park Grants from Government for manual and bath, £3 35.; speoial classes — petty technical instruction— cash, Bs. 6d. ; associated classes — Capitation on attendance at classes .. 850 12 10 petty cash, 12s. 6d; Lyttelton — Instruction of teachers .. .. 200 0 0 balance of grant for cookery classes, Subsidies on voluntary contributions and £26 2s. 4d. .. .. .. 84 12 0 bequests .. .. .. .. 276 17 6 Associated classes—Amount locally conRefund of instructor's travelling-ex- tributed .. .. .. " .. 287 15 0 penses .. .. .. .. 4 18 Maintenance of school buildings, &c. .. 2,416 17 5 Material .. .. .. .. 4 0 0 House-allowances .. .. .. 493 4 6 Receipts from other sources— New schools, additions, sites, &c. .. 2,856 2 8 Pees .. .. .. .. 410 0 Plans and supervision .. .. .. 481 13 2 Voluntary contributions .. .. 287 15 0 Buildings, class-rooms, furniture, &c, for Half rent Lancaster Park bath .. 1 11 6 manual and technical purposesMaterial for class-work .. .. 016 1 School classes .. .. .. 225 18 10 Grants from Government for— Special classes .. .. .. 4 0 0 Maintenance of school buidings, &c. .. 6,300 0 0 Associated classes .. .. .. 375 10 6 House-allowances .. .. .. 501 7 6 Other expenses— Technical-school buildings, fittings, &o. 521 18 6 Exchange .. .. .. .. 18 2 0 Half cost of fence at Kaikoura Town .. 14 8 9 Gammack Scholarships ... .. 222 15 0 Other receipts— Balance at end of year .. .. .. 3,164 6 7 Gammack Scholarships .. .. 200 0 0 Half cost of fencing, &c. ..' .. 10 13 6 Sale of old material .. .. .. 2 10 0 Refund of amount paid in error .. 11 4 0 Contributions to cost of site .. .. 47 18 0 £81,207 12 6 £81,207 12 6 H. W. Peryman, Chairman. 29th March, 1904. H. C. Lane, Secretary.

94