F. WALLIS.]

111

G.—s.

67. Mr. Eliott.] Is any question of religion raised when an application is made for admission to the school ?—No. 68. You take all faiths and all creeds?— Yes. For example, at the last census we found we had one Wesleyan, two Plymouth Brethren, nine Presbyterians, and three Roman Catholics amongst the boarders only. 69. The Chairman.] There are not a great many day scholars?— They are mostly boarders. There are forty-six day scholars and 140 boarders. The numbers have grown very largely since Mr. Empson took over the school in May, 1888. 70. Mr. Eliott.] Has the school any other source of revenue than that derived from the endowment and school fees?—No, except that a large number of prizes have been given. I should like to call the attention of the Commissioners to the large amount given in scholarships by the headmaster himself. I would draw the Commissioners' attention to a report of the headmaster to our Diocesan Synod of 1898, which is as follows:— " The trustees may be interested to know that the headmaster offers free tuition to all boys who qualify for the Education Board's Junior or Senior Scholarships but are unable to obtain them owing to lack of funds on the part of the Board —in other words, any boy by attaining a certain standard of proficiency at a certain age can obtain a free education at the school. The following list of moneys spent in connection with the school, apart from any help from the estate may be of value to the trustees: — Second master's house (built by headmaster, who receives rent £ s. d. from occupier) ... ... ..-. ... ... 1,200 0 0 Harvey memorial (collected by subscription; interest used for mathematical prize) ... ... ... ... ... 58 0 0 Old boys (interest for second mathematical prize) ... ... 20 0 0 Earl of Glasgow's prize (interest for classical prize) ... ... 50 0 0 New class-rooms and library above gymnasium (money collected by subscription among old boys and parents) ~. ... 250 0 0 Organ in chapel (this was a private gift) ... ... ... 200 0 0 Two fives courts (paid for by degrees out of games fund) ... 110 0 0 Tennis-court, shell-rock (paid for by degrees out of games fund) 72 0 0 Swimming-baths (amount obtained by subscription amongst old boys and parents) ... ... ... .. .. 200 0 0 Still required for baths, and will have to be paid by charging fee 150 0 0 Carpenter's shop (material supplied by trustees, labour by boys; this amount represents estimated cost of labour only) ... 30 0 0 Laboratory, music-room, and class-room built by boys (these were paid for by headmaster; this represents material only) ... 222 0 0 Enlargement of dining-room and dormitory (two-thirds of this was paid by trustees, balance by headmaster; balance alone is entered here) ... ... ... ... ... ... 42 0 0 New bathrooms, &c. (paid for by headmaster) ... ... 88 0 0 New uniforms for cadet corps (this amount was paid by headmaster, to be repaid out of yearly capitation of £20) ... 150 0 0 Cricket pavilion built by boys (paid for by headmaster; this represents material only) ... ... ... ... 30 0 0 Chapel (subscriptions collected by the late Dr. Harvey) ... ... 900 0 0 Total ... ... ... ...£3,772 0 0 In addition there are many smaller items which would probably bring the whole amount up to about £4,000." Since this report was made other benefactions have been made, including £70 given by Dr. Pennefather for a mathematical prize. 71. These are voluntary subscriptions?—Y'es. 72. Mr. Ngata.] What revenue is derived from the endowment?— About £1,200 a year. 73. How many terms are there in the year?- —Three terms of thirteen weeks each. 74. Does the £4 per term include board ?—No. That is the fee for tuition, paid by day boys and boarders alike. The boarders pay in addition £15 per term for board and residence, including washing, and a sum for extras amounting to about £1. A slight reduction is made in the case of brothers. 75. The fee of £4 per term is paid by all boarders? —Unless remitted. 76. In the case of free scholars coming from a distance, is there board provided? —Not because they come from a distance; but if their means, in the judgment of the headmaster, do not allow them to pay the full sum he generally makes a reduction on the boarding, or remits the fee altogether. 77. Who gets the boarding fees?— The headmaster entirely. 78. They do not form part of the funds of the institution? —No. 79. What has been the average attendance, say, during the last two or three years? —From 1900 to 1904 the average attendance was 201. The number now at the school is 185. The difference is due to the fact that we have had to give up one of our boardinghouses inasmuch as it was leased. We had thus to give up twenty boys simply for lack of room. 80. The Chairman.] The Commissioners desire me to call your attention to this paragraph in the annual report, furnished to both Houses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency, dated the 18th August, 1870: " Looking at the magnitude of the grant, and the loss which the people of the place have suffered by the diversion of the land from its original purpose, the