E.-—2.

' [Appendix A

Incidental Expenses of Schfiols. —i-The matter of incidental expenses of schools is one to which the Board, has given anxious consideration. The adoption of . a scale absorbing ..approximately £900 over and above the allowances calculated under the Eighth Schedule of the Education Act, 1914, is ample proof of the Board's desire to do its utmost in assisting Committees to meet their incidental expenses. Whilst admitting that the allowances agreed upon are still inadequate, the Board is also compelled to recognize the fact that any further provision from- its general funds is impracticable. In view of the undoubted increase that has taken place th& last few years in the cost of labour, fuel, and material, and feeling that the grant made, by the Department is insufficient to meet this increasing expenditure, the Board recently called a conference of School Committees and members of Parliament to discuss the matter in all its bearings. The Board trusts that the resolutions carried at the Conference will convince the Department .thai, it is absolutely necessary that the grant should be increased if the public schools of the Dominion are to be maintained in good order and sanitary condition. Resolutions passed at Conference held on the 9th February, .1917 :— " That the Government has recognized the increased cost of living in all departments of administration except in the provision for local administration of its primary schools such provision remaining the same as in the pre-war period, for which period it was really insufficient, and is now utterly inadequate. This Conference, having full knowledge of the matter, declares it impossible on the sum now granted to defray the necessary administrative expenses of the Boards, and with the balance to maintain the public schools in a state of ordinary cleanliness, comfort, and decency, and therefore demands, in the vital interests of the children attending them, that the Government grant for the above purposes be increased forthwith to at least 13s. per capita on the average attendance." " That this Conference entirely repudiates the principle of any funds being raised locally for the ordinary necessary maintenance expenses or equipment of public schools, whether sums so raised be subsidized by the Government or not." " That other Boards throughout the Dominion having expressed themselves in sympathy with the Canterbury Education Board's effort to secure an increased capitation allowance, the Canterbury Education Board and the Canterbury School Committees Association be requested to convene a Dominion Conference on the matter during the next session of Parliament, at which Conference all New Zealand Education Boards and School Committee Associations shall be represented." Irregular Attendance. —During the year the names of 2,107 children were either sent in by head teachers or taken direct from the various school registers by the Truant Officer (North and South Canterbury). Arising from these 1,736 ordinary notices to parents and 191 of a final nature were issued. Court proceedings were taken in eighty-nine cases, in fifty-six of which fines amounting to £17 12s. were inflicted, in addition to costs £12 12s. The Truant Officer reported that during the year, as regards the lower classes, the attendance at a great many schools had been seriously affected owing to illness among the children. On the other hand, the attendance of children in the upper standards throughout the whole district had been very good. In the town and suburban districts many inducements are held out for children to leave school before obtaining the necessary qualifications. This difficulty, the Truant Officer reports, is becoming more acute, and will require very careful attention in the future. A Truant Officer has also been appointed for the West Coast districts, and all head teachers have been requested to forward to him the names of children who attend irregularly. The Board relies upon members of School Committees and parents generally to co-operate with the teachers in securing a good attendance, as otherwise good progress cannot be made. Scholarships. —There were 426 candidates for Junior National Scholarships—l 94 girls and 232 boys. Of these, fifty-seven qualified —twenty-four girls and thirty-three boys. Three successful candidates had been attending sole-charge schools, seven schools of Grade 111, and forty-seven schools of Grade IV and upwards. For the Senior Scholarships there were 105 candidates-sixty-two gills and forty-three boys. Of the twenty-three successful candidates, nine were girls and fourteen boys. For the two Gammack Scholarships there were ten candidates. The first four in order of merit having qualified for National Scholarships, the Board has awarded Gammack Scholarships to the two next candidates on the list, both of whom passed the Junior University Examination with credit. Schools. —The number of schools in operation at the end of the year, including thirty-four aided schools, but excluding seven side schools, was 378. classified as follows :—- Schools open f'lJradc. 'Pupils. at End of Year. fO •'• .'• 15 II .. .. .. .. .. .. 9-20 .. 108 II .. .. .. .. .. .. 21-35 .. 88 HI .. .. .. .. .. .. 36-120 .. 113 IV .. • ■ • ■ • • 121-240 .. 21 ■ V .. •• • • • • 241-400 .. 15 VI .. . . .. ■• • ■ ■ ■ 401-500 . . 4 VII .. .. .. .. ■ ■ 501-700 .. 9 VHk . . . . . • • ■ ■ ■ . . 701 and upwards 5 378 • During the year schools were opened at Taipo, Big River, Warren Estate, and Skipton, and closed at Ethelton, Slaty Creek, Notown, Haast, Lower Otira, Camla, and Rangitira Valley. The undermentioned table shows thecrnumber of schools at the end of the year of each decade

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