E.—2.

Appendix A.

at Tauranga. 230 primary schools had recognized classes in agriculture; eighty-five primaryschools bad recognized classes in agriculture and dairy science (combined course); three schools had recognized classes in dairy science. Swimming Classes. —Thirty schools held recognized, classes in swimming. Teachers' Classes. —During the year special classes in hygiene (D), botany (D), agriculture (D and C) were held for teachers preparing for certificate examinations, and dairy-science classes were held for instruction of teachers taking dairy-science work in their schools. Technical Instruct ion. —[See E.-5, Report on Technical Instruction. | I have, &c, J. 0. McKenzie, Chairman. The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington.

TARANAKI. Sib,— New Plymouth, 23rd April, 1917. In accordance with the provisions of section 39 (1) of the Education Act, 1914, the Education Board of Taranaki has the honour to submit the following report of its proceedings for the year 1916. At the beginning of the year the Board comprised the following members : Mr. Harold Trimble (Chairman). Rev. A. B. Chappell, Messrs. G. A. Adlam, A. H. Halcombc, E, Marfcll, R. Masters, A. Morton, F. J. Mackay, and J. Young. In accordance with the provisions of clause 16, subsections (1) and (2), of the Education Act, 1914, all the members retired in August, and the following members, elected in July, took office : Rev. Albert Bygrave Chappell and Mr. Sidney George Smith, for the North Ward; Messrs. Robert Masters and Harold Trimble, for the Central Ward; and Messrs. Edwin Dixon and Charles A. Wilkinson, M.P., for the South Ward. At the meeting of the Board held on the 9th August Mr. Robert Masters was elected Chairman. Schools. —At the end of the year there were 149 schools open, including the forty-two schools taken over from the Auckland and Wanganui Education Districts. Included in this number are sixteen schools which are held in buildings that are not the property of the Board. Scholarships. —The Taranaki Scholarship was gained by a pupil of the Stratford District High School. Senior National Scholarships were awarded to scholars from the following schools : Stratford District High School, 1; New Plymouth Girls' High School, 1; New Plymouth Boys' High School, 1. Junior National Scholarships were awarded as follows: Ongarue, 1; Mangaotaki, 1; West End, 1; Stratford District High School, 2; Hawera District High School, 2; New Plymouth High School, 2. The Bayly Memorial Scholarship was gained by a pupil of the Stratford District High School. Teachers. —At the annual examination of pupil-teachers and probationers one gained a pass for the C examination and four for the D. Two gained partial passes for C, and twenty-seven for D. The number of teachers in the service of the Board at the end of the year was 328, graded as follows: Head and. sole teachers, 84 female and. 63 male; assistants, 119 female and 14 male; pupil-teachers and probationers, 43 female and 5 male. Finance. —The receipts of the Board from all sources, including £4,296 Is. Id. credit balance from 1915, amounted to £63,130 Is. 2d., while the expenditure was as follows: Administration, £1,591 6s. 7d. ; teachers' salaries, £40,884 lis. 2d.; secondary education, £1,180 3s. lOd. ; manual instruction, £1,852 12s. lid.; technical instruction, £4,778 19s. 7d.; buildings, £4,750 18s. 6d.; training of teachers, £204 9s. 5d.; special funds, £5,094 17s. lid. : leaving a credit balance of £2,792 Is. 3d. Regulations. —As the rules and by-laws under which the Board and Committees were worked had not been revised since 1909, it was decided to issue a new and complete set. They have been carefully compiled, and are now in the printer's hands, and will be issued shortly. Buildings. —New schools have been creeled at Hurimoana and Radnor. Additions were made to the Kaimata School; the Huirangi School, destroyed by fire early in the year, lias been reinstated; and eighteen schools and eleven residences have been painted. "During the year the Board erected suitable workshops, and installed machinery for the manufacture of joinery for the school buildings and desks, &c, for the schools. This has proved to be more economical than under the contract system. Owing to the abnormal conditions obtaining on account of the war great difficulty has been experienced in securing sufficient labour to erect and keep in repair the buildings. The Board, therefore, has been compelled to let a portion of the new work by tender. This is proving an expensive system, as in no single instance has the tender been within the grant' made by the Department for the building. The Board will revert to the old system as soon as sufficient labour is available. School Committees. —The Board desires to place on record its appreciation of the good work done by the Primary and Technical. School Committees throughout the district. The Board recognizes the keen interest that continues to be taken by Committees with which they are associated, and is grateful for their cordial co-operation in the administration of educational matters. Enlargement of District. —Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1914, the district has been enlarged to include the Hawera, Wairnate West, Eltham, Ohura, and Awakino Counties, making an addition of forty-two schools, 102 teachers, and an average attendance of 2,542 children. There is a feeling of unanimity existing between flic old and the new districts that augurs well for the future development of educational matters throughout the province. Whatever feeling existed previously against the inclusion in the Taranaki District has entirely disappeared, and all concerned are working in harmony for the best interests of the children,

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