THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 142, 30 July 1880, Page 4

THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

Or;]!, Parliamentary reporter writes:— “ I have received an advance copy of the Annual Report of the Minister of Education from winch I furnish you with the following excerpts : —The number of schools in operation during the year was 817, being an increase of GO opened during, the year. The total average attendance of children during the last quarter of 1879 was 58,738, being an increase of 8,099 over the corresponding quarter ilie previous year. Marlborough is credited with 15 schools- —average attendance 834 ; teachers employed, 25 ; cost of scholars per head, L 7 12s 5.'.d, the total average being L 7 10s 10d ; donations, subscriptions, Ac., received by the School Committee. LIG 11s sd. There arc 13 teachers’ residences. Your expenditure on school buildings has been—new buildings, LG94 11s -Id; enlargements, improvements, repairs, Ac., L 1173 18s ; furniture and appliances, L 143 Is; purchase, of sites, L27n 4s 2d; plans, supervision, Ac., L 94 3s 3d. 'Two scholarships of L4O have been held during the year with free tuition at Nelson College. The income of the Hoard was L 7,318 17s 9d, the expenditure being the same amount. Management and inspection amounted to LI 91 2s Gd ; salary paid Hoard officers, LI 20 ; salaries paid teachers, L2,XSG 7s Gd, and other ordinaiy expenditure, L 296 3s 2d. Of that sum Blenheim teachers net the modest sum of LBSO 10s. The Hoard’s Chairman addressed the Minister of Education on the 7th April as follows :

“ Sir, —I have the honor to forward you a report of the proceedings of the Hoard of Education for the District of Marlborough for the year ended December 31, 1879, together with tables 1 to 4, a balance-sheet of revenue and expenditure, a list of scholarships held during the year 1879, and the Examiners’ papers, and report thereon, and the report on the public schools by the Inspector. Attendance. —The number of scholars on the rolls at the end of 1879, was 1,014; and at the end of 1879, 1,079. The working average at the same dates was 77G and 834 respec-

tively. Grunts to School Committees. —The vote of ten shillings for each scholar in average attendance has been paid over by the Hoard to the various school committees, according to a scale determined upon by the Hoard to meet as nearly as may be, the requirements of each school committee respectively. Jiailhim/ Grant. —Out of this grant the Hoard has completed new school houses in Blenheim and Tua Marina, teachers’ residences at Waitohi and Canvass Town, besides providing school furniture and many repairs to existing buildings. New school houses and teachers’ residences are wanted at Pictou, Spring Creek, Havelock Suburban, Ivekerangu, and in the Pelorus.

Libraries. —The grant for libraries forwarded to the Hoard for distribution, has been paid to the Libraries of Blenheim, Pictou, and Havelock, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Libraries Subsidies Act. Trainhuj of Teachers. —Four of the teachers in the service of the Hoard took advantage of the grant of ,£BO for tlic above purpose. Three of them went to the Normal School, Christchurch and one to that in Dunedin.

Expenditure. —The balance in hand to tlig credit of Maintenance Account at the beginning of the year was.£GSo fis 3d, and at the close of it £'623 1 Is 2d, leaving a deficit of £57 14s Id. To this, however, must be added one quarter’s payment to the school committees, amounting to £lO4 3s lOd, less .£3O due to the Board on account of inspection subsidy, making a total deficit on Maintenance Account * of £125 17s lid. This deficiency is far less than at the close of last year, and the improvement is due partly to the closing.of some of the schools during abortion of the year, but chiefly because more money lias been received by the Board under the head of 1 statutory capitation,’ owingtothe increased average attendance of pupils, whilst at the same time the Board has exercised the utmost economy in the administration of its funds. The Board, however, desii-es to point out that at present the teaching power in some of the schools is insufficient, and

ought to he increased, and that now schools are required in some of the out lying districts where Hie expenditure is certain to exceed the receipts on account of the small number of scholars attending such schools. The Board expends on teachers’ salaries the largest possible proportion of it funds, reducing the departmental and other expenditure in order to secure the most effective teaching power, but it has still respectfully to urge, that whilst the population of its district is so scattered, and the proportion of schools under its charge so great, the statutory capitation per head is not sufficient to afford the teaching power which is required.”