E.—2.

The great interest taken in. the work, which covers live-stock, home garden, and crop projects, is evidenced by the large number of projects which were carried through to completion. The entries judged for the past season totalled 8,845. Teachers' Residences.—Although it is appreciated that during last, year grants were authorized for the erection of a number of teachers' residences, the Board desires to point out that there are still very many applications for residences under consideration. The Board asks that the most urgent applications for the erection of residences for head teachers of country schools be given consideration at as early a date as possible. The question of providing residential accommodation for married assistant masters has also become an acute problem throughout the Auckland District. It is hoped that it will be possible for accommodation for such teachers to be provided in connection with the Government housing scheme. Consolidated and Intermediate Schools. —Parents generally are realizing the benefits to be gained by consolidation of schools. During the year thirty-one schools were closed and the children conveyed to consolidated schools. A number of other applications for consolidation are now under consideration. A new intermediate school is shortly to be opened at Te Awamutu. The Board hopes that the Government will be in a position at an early date to authorize grants in respect of the other applications made for establishment of intermediate schools. Conveyance and Boarding-allowance.—lncreasing advantage is being taken of the provision made by the Government for the education of pupils from outlying districts who reside outside regulation distance of the nearest school. During the year a total of £55,7.11 was expended by the Board on conveyance services and in payment of boarding-allowances. For some years past the Board has stressed the need for riding-allowance to be granted to children in country districts where, although road conditions are suitable, there are no facilities for conveyance by vehicle. The Board asks that favourable consideration be given to the granting of riding-allowance on similar conditions to those stipulated for children conveyed to school by vehicle. Staffing of Schools, and Teachers' Salaries. —The Board is pleased to note the Go vernment's approval of the new scale for salaries of teachers which came into operation from the Ist October, 1938. The Board realizes that it will be some time before the staffing of schools can be stabilized. It is recognized, however, that the new staffing and salaries system will greatly lessen the number of changes in the teaching staffs of schools which formerly took place owing to the desire of teachers to obtain promotion. The provision for payment of country salary and the requirement of country service before teachers can obtain promotion will result in the removal of the disability under which country schools were placed in the past, owing to the difficulty in obtaining suitable teachers for the junior positions. The Board greatly appreciates the increase in salary now payable to teachers of schools with a roll number of less than nine. In view of the additional payment, it will no longer be necessary for parents to contribute towards the board and lodging of a teacher.

TARANAKI. (Chairman, Mr. J. A. Valentine, 8.A.) Teachers. —The total number of teachers on the Board's pay-roll on the 31st December, 1938, was 385, of whom 48 were on the relieving staff, 12 Manual and Agricultural Instructors, 24 probationary assistants, 2 on exchange, 2 absent on extended leave, and 19 who have left the district. There is indication that the new salary scheme will tend to stabilize the staffing of schools and that the positions of head-teachership in country districts will attract more highly graded teachers than in the past. There appears to be, however, a tendency to complicate the administration of the scheme by introducing more and more regulations to meet individual departures from normal rather than to give the Director or Senior Inspector power to deal with them. My Board ardently hopes that it will be found possible to administer these new schemes without the introduction of the many pages of regulations that had attended former salary schemes. Boys' and Girls' Clubs. —Continued parental interest is manifest in the boys' and girls' club work. The children's own clubs are functioning efficiently. An increasing number of schools are now holding school shows with exhibits of handwork, flowers, &c. The school club assumes responsibility for organizing the events. Many schools have organized excursions for their pupils, and at Messrs. Borthwick's freezingworks, Waitara, the works experts demonstrated the grading of pigs which children have reared. Afforestation. —In accord with the Department's suggestion for better co-ordination between training-college Lecturers and the Agricultural Instructors in the field, the Senior Instructor in Agriculture visted Auckland Training College at the latter end of the year. The plan is a good one ; the exchange of ideas and suggestions between the instructors of the young teachers and the instructors of the children who will later become their pupils brings about a proper sequence in the aim, method and manner of all branches of school and ground improvement. Agriculture. —During the first week of the August vacation tlie Board's three instructors attended a refresher course at Massey College with other Agricultural Instructors, and benefited by the comprehensive and intensive week's work. Schemes of work designed on lines approved by the instructors have formed the basis of much interesting work in primary schools, including bird and insect studies, collections of weeds, seeds, and trees, and the keeping of records bearing on these studies,

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