P. WALLIS.]

G.—s.

30. You had confidence in him, but watched what he was doing, and interfered in case of necessity ?—Precisely. 31. Are the masters now appointed by the trustees?— They are appointed by the headmaster, and paid by the trustees. 32. Are they appointed subject to your approval?—He has the sole power of appointment and of dismissal, subject in the latter case to appeal to the trustees by the dismissed master. 33. The grant shows an endowment of 250 acres?— Yes. 34. Under whose control is the letting and subdividing of the estate?— Under the control of the trustees. 35. Portions of the estate have been let? —Yes. You will get all particulars from Mr. Maclean. 36. Has there been any accumulation of revenue? —No. 37. You find the rents and fees just sufficient to maintain the school in its present position?— Yes. We have already incurred an overdraft of something like £600 or £700 for additions to the building's. We have no accumulated funds. 38. Can you give us the names of the teachers and the salaries paid to each teacher? —Yes. W. Empson, 8.A., Oxon., headmaster, £550 per annum, including £50 for clerk; J. R. Orford, M.A., Camb., £300; Rev. C. Price, M.A., Oxon, Chaplain, now on his way out to New Zealand, £250; F. L. Peck, £250; 11. B. Watson, M.A., N.Z., £200; E. C. Hardwicke, M.A., Camb., £200; G. F. Magrath, M.A., Camb., £200; J. E. Bannister, M.A., N.Z., £200; J. Harold, £200; Mrs. Atkinson, £200; J. Neame, 8.A., Lond., £200; J. S. Lomas, 8.A., N.Z., £150; and S. Dunn, £60, making a total of £2,960, which is more than double the income from the endowment. 39. According to the grant the trust is for "the education of children of our subjects of all races and of children of other poor and destitute persons being inhabitants of islands in the Pacific Ocean." Have you any form of application for admission to the College?— Yes; but I have not a copy here. 40. That has to be filled up by the parents of the applicants?— Yes. 41. That application is signed, and sent to whom?—To the headmaster. 42. In whose hands is the rejection or acceptance of the application?—ln the headmaster's. 43. Entirely ?—Y'es. 44. The trustees do not in any way interfere? —No. I suppose that if an applicant was rejected he might appeal to the trustees, but no such case has ever arisen, and we have not therefore legislated for it. 45. Are any boys admitted into that school free of cost?—Y'es, a large number. Of course, the Education Board scholars are maintained by their scholarships. Then, we offer free tuition and free or reduced board to all boys in the Wanganui Education District who have qualified for scholarships and have not received them owing to lack of funds on the part of the Board. They are admitted free. If you will allow me I should iike to quote some figures in connection with the money spent in reducing fees and in admitting free scholars. For the ten years preceding 1897 an average of £320 per annum was remitted. In 1898, £476 was remitted; in 1899, £367; in 1900, £353; and in 1901, £552. All that money came from the headmaster's pocket. He voluntarily surrendered these fees; they were not surrendered by the trustees but by himself, because, until the end of 1901, he received everything. Since that time the remissions for board alone have been: in 1902, £221; in 1903, £253; in 1904, £239, and in 1905, £225. The remissions for board, of course, came out of the headmaster's pocket, and the trustees remitted in addition the capitation fee for these boarders of £1 per term, and also the fees of several day boys. Altogether they have given during these four years an average of between £50 and £60 towards free education. So the total amount spent in free education bears a very large proportion to the amount received from the endowment. 46. Have you ever received any aid or grants from the Government? —Only, so far as I know, in the shape of these Education Board scholars. We have six of these—three senior and three junior scholarships. A remission of payment is made, first of all, in the case of boys who qualify for the Education Board scholarships, and then to poor parents, and especially to sons of the clergy. I may say that paying boys have been refused on account of want of space in order to keep on these other boys at reduced fees. May I lay more especial emphasis on what I said just now—that any boy qualifying for an Education Board scholarship and not receiving a scholarship owing to lack of funds is admitted free—that means any boy attaining at a certain fge a certain proficiency obtains entirely free education. And you will understand that is mainly due to the headmaster's generosity. 47. Is the school open to all the people mentioned in the grant?-—Yes. 48. Is there any standard of education required on admission?—We have no preliminary examination. We have a limit in regard to age. The youngest boy at present is eleven years of age. We should not like to receive them younger. 49. That is left entirely to the headmaster?— Entirely. 50. Have the trustees been considering the question of rebuilding?--Yes, but we have not sufficient money in hand to do any rebuilding at present. 51. You have no power to raise money in any way, and if you had I suppose it would be a question as to whether it would be advisable to do so? —Yes; we should have to think it over very carefully. 52. Is the school inspected by the Government health officers?— Not regularly, but we had an inspection from the Public Health Department a little while ago. Its officer and Dr. Anson went very carefully into the matter. We are of opinion that it could not be a healthier place. 53. And the school is inspected by the Inspector-General of Education? —Yes, by the invitation of the trustees.

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