Appendix A.]

E.—2.

of Mr. W. Kerr, S.M., Mr. Broad (Board's representative), and Mr. R. McNab, LL.B. (teachers' representative), and a unanimous judgment was given for the Board, with costs totalling over £200. Mr. R. Stewart conducted the case for the appellant, and Mr. Fred. Pirani for the Education Board. The Wanganui District Teachers' Institute formally guaranteed the costs, but as they were not in a position to provide the funds for the prosecution of the case, let alone costs of the other side, the executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute, without reference to the Board, assumed the conduct of the case. Their secretary stated on oath that all the costs would be paid by the executive, and their representative in Court specially asked that the order for costs should be made against the New Zealand Educational Institute. This was done, and, without any demand being made for costs by the Board, an attempt was made to reduce the amount awarded, by the use of the contention that the award was invalid as against the institute. Up to the end of the year no settlement had been arrived at. Surely a public body should not be in such a position. The law should be made clear as to what costs are allowable, tin cc should be an effective one, and the winning side ought not to be placed in the humiliating position in which this Board has been placed. Buildings and Sites. —-The following were the principal works undertaken during the year : Additions to the schools at Utuw.-ii, Ohangai, Gonville, Castlecliff, Taikorea, Okoia, Linton. Moutoa, Umutoi, Kai Iwi, Rangataua, and to the residences at Waverley, Mount View, Jackeytown, Ohakea, Moutoa, and X iwi tea ; new schools at Valley Road, IJmumuri, Te Arakura. Ngutuwera, Mangoihe, Orangimea, and new residences at Oroua Downs, Glen Oroua, Mangamingi, and Long Acre Valley. Brick buildings for district high schools were erected to replace those that did duty lor a great mi years at Marton and Patea. Taikorea School and residence were removed to new sites. A new brickschool is now being erected at West End (Palmerston North), and also schools at Taumatatahi and Hinau. The repainting of the school buildings throughout the district is now carried out by the Boa own staff of painters. This method of having the work done has proved to be a great improvement on the contract system. The painting of the exterior of eleven schools, including all outbuildings, the Board's furniture-store, eight residences, the interior of seven schools, and the roof of the Technical College woodwork-room comprised the work undertaken since April last. A large portion of the. grant for maintenance was expended on school furniture, repairs to buildings and fences, erection of new fences, shelter-sheds, and outoffices. Land for school purposes was purchased at Taikorea. Ngutuv Oroua Downs, and College Street (Palmerston North). Towards the cost of the addition to the College Street site the residents made a liberal donation. The settlers at Ngutuwera subscribed half the cost of the site for that school. Negotiations are now in progress for acquiring new sites at Silverhope, Upper Tutaenui, Raetihi, and Ohakune, and additional land at Upokongaro and Wanganui East. The teachers' residences at Crofton and Aramoho had long ceased to be fit for the purpose for which they were originally intended, and were disposed of. During the ensuing year the Board will be called upon to face a large expenditure on installation of up-to-date drainage-systems at a number of schools. The Board has always held that as this is new work, and its urgent importance cannot be gainsaid, special grants should be made by the Government for it. Office Accommodation. —New office buildings, part of the scheme under the Wanganui School Sites Act, were completed during the year. The members of the staff are now able to carry out their duties with some degree of comfort. The old buildings and site were taken over by the Government, the Board only being allowed £600 for property worth more than double that sum. Indeed, the Lands Department served notice of instant ejectment on the Board, and was only prevented from following up that notice by an appeal to the Government. Manual and Tech dial Instruction.- -The organization of the district for the purposes of manual and technical instruction has now been completed, the subdistricts being the North, Cent re, and South, each with a separate staff, and a resident supervisor at Hawera, Wanganui, and Feilding. The Wanganui Technical College, which supplies the needs of Wanganui and suburbs, is not included, being under the control of the Principal of the College. The effect of the organization is seen in the rapid strides made in the teaching of technical subjects, but especially in the teaching of agricultural science. No fewer than 238 pupils of our district high schools took the rural course last year. Laboratory-work was supplemented at each subcentre by field-work of such a nature as to greatly interest agriculturists, as well as the many pupils. The maintenance of the organization in an efficient condition entails a great financial burden, especially when it is remembered that no grant is made by the Department for insurance or upkeep of the technical buildings. Moreover, the alteration of the rates of capitation made from the beginning of last year has unquestionably reduced the income of the country centres. and. naturally, at the same time lessened their usefulness. It is difficult to see why the rates formerly allowed should not be paid in the case of single students taking single subjects. The reasonableness of requiring young people in towns to take courses of study appeals to every one ; but that schools, through the substitution of one regulation for another, should be rendered unable to provide efficient instruction in individual subjects in country centres —or even in town —is surely outside of reason. In the opinion of those who are constantly engaged in the work of providing technical instruction in our three subcentres, the new rates have done much to destroy the interest of the people in a cause which, from every point of view,£ should^be^'promoted. After the expenditure of much time and thought, and the clearing-away of obstacles apparently unsurmountable—thanks mainly to the. Education Department—the Board has the satisfaction of seeing the Wanganui Technical College on a sound educational footing. Though the financial position of the College is not quite assured, there is every reason to expect that, through the able and energetic efforts of the Principal and local Committee, the College will surely redeem its position in this respect, as other technical schools in the district are doing. The Board desires to express its appreciation of the great services rendered to the cause of agricultural instruction by the supervisors of the three districts—Mr. Browne (Hawera),

VII