103

£.—1

The sales of leases for the year resulted in twelve lessees taking up an area of 2,918 acres and 16 perches, at an annual rental of £408 7s. 2d., which brings the total number of lessees now on the books up to 476, holding an area of 97,634 acres and 30 perches, and paying an annual rental of £6,461 11s. 10d. The Commissioners have had occasion in past reports to draw attention to the disability under which they laboured in being prevented from subdividing certain valuable endowments under their control, owing to their being barred by law from expending any portion of the funds administered by them upon the construction of the subdivisional roads required by the Public Works Acts. They note with satisfaction that by " The Education Reserves Act, 1905," the necessary power has now been conferred on them, and that they will therefore in future be able to deal to better advantage, in the interests of their trust, with many of the reserves aa the present leases fall in. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. J. R. Blair, Chairman.

General Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending the 31st December, 1905.

27th January, 1906. J. H. W. Wardrop, Secretary and Treasurer. Examined and found correct.— J. K. Warbubton, Controller and Auditor-General.

Primary. Secondary. Total. Receipts. To Balance on the 1st January, 1905 Bent paid on account of previous years Bent paid on account of year 1905 Bent paid on account of year 1906 Bent paid on account of year 1907 Preparation and registration of leases ... Land purchase account Interest and sinking fund on improvements £ s. ~d. 370 6 0 84 5 0 5,153 6 3 268 14 0 0 5 0 32 10 0 358 16 0 86 3 11 £ s. 38 18 0 0 774 3 0 0 d. 7 9 8 4 £ s. d 409 4 7 84 5 9 5,927 9 11 268 14 4 0 5 0 32 10 0 358 16 0 86 3 11 Total receipts ... 6,354 6 2 813 3 4 7,167 9 6 Expenditun e. £' s. d. £ s. d. £ s. a" By Payments to educational bodies— Wellington Education Board Wanganui Education Board Wellington College Wellington Girls' High School Wanganui Girls' High School Palmerston North High School Salaries of officers ... Printing, stationery, and office expenses Commissioners' travelling-expenses Commission on sales of leases Advertising Crown-grant fees Travelling-expenses of Secretary Arbitration... ... ... Survey Land purchase account Bank balance ... ... £188 19 4) Cash in hand ... ... 3 7 10J 3,634 19 6 1,965 0 6 300 0 0 123 13 6 14 6 0 22 3 6 37 4 6 13 6 0 13 3 11 12 18 3 13 10 0 24 16 8 5,600 0 0 267 18 01 196 0 8 183 17 4 80 ° ° ° 152 4 0J 300 0 0 123 13 6 14 6 0 22 3 6 37 4 6 13 6 0 13 3 11 12 18 3 13 10 0 24 16 8 179 3 10 13 3 4 192 7 2 Total expenditure ... 6,354 6 2 813 3 4 7,167 9 6 Assets. Balance on the 31st December, 1905 Arrears of rents Total assets ... £ s. d. 179 3 10 130 11 10 309 15 8 £ s. 13 3 0 2 d. I 4 0 £ s. d. 192 7 2 130 13 10 13 5 4 323 1 0 r\r* i/t -r/> n n Lial Liabilities. bilimes. R e A Land Purchase Account £ s. d. 431 12 7 £ s. d. 431 12 7 £ s. d. I I £ s. d. 431 12 7