APPENDIX A.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 135, 7 June 1878, Page 2

APPENDIX A.

Circular to Secretaries of School Com-

mittees,

Nelson June 6, 1878. Sir,— l am directed by the Nelson Education Board to urge upon your Committee. the necessity of r°ing every exertion to increase the daily attendance of the school children in your District.

The Board has good raason to believe that there are few, if any, school districts in which the number of scholars iu actual attendance does not fall considerably short of the whole number of children of school age within easy reach of a school.

The Board's income is now made to depend entirely upon the number of scholars in daily attendance, and a careful estimate of the probable income and expenditure of the Board for the coming financial year shows that, after the salaries of teachers and the ordinary departmental axpenditure have be v en provided for, tbe available margin Jeffc for repairs, school-furniture and othar unavoidable expenses, will be exceedingly narrow, unless vigorous stept are taken to increase an attendance that might, in the opinion of the Board, be largely augmented, even without putting in force the compulsory clause. The capitation grant on a large proportion of the Nelson schools, as at present attended, fails to cover the cost of teachers' salaries alone, while, in many, others, the surplus is hardly sufficient to meet the ordinary Committee allowance.

Under these circumstances, the Board feels that it is justified in calling upon the School Committees to co-operate with them in endeavouring to secure such an income as will at least relieve the Board from the invidious task of constantly refusing applications for the moat necessary repairs and improvements. I have the honor to be, Sir Your obedient Servant, W. C. Hodgson, Secretary.

1876