CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOLS

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 908, 15 April 1854, Page 3

CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOLS

Ox Thursday afternoon a public examination ■was held in Thoradon School Eoom of the children belonging to ■ the Church of England Schools. There was a very full attendance of members of the Church of England and of the friends, and' supporters of the school. The examination in the ordinary course of instruction was conducted by Mr. Toomath, the master of the school, and in history and Divinity by the

Rev. R Paul, who presided on the occasion. The children, I)}' the -readiness with which they answered the questions proposed to them, evinced considerable proficiency in the subjects in which they were examined, and the result afforded the most satisfactory proofs of the skill and pains bestowed on their training. At the conclusion of the examination, Mr. Hort rose to express the high gratification which he, as a visitor an.cj. a friend ,to the progress of education, had experienced in common with those present at the proofs exhibited by the children of the abls way in which the school was conducted, a.nd in an excellent speech moved the thanks of the meeting to the Rev. R. Paul and Sir. Toomath for the care and pains they had 1 lestowed on the management of the school, which was carried by acclamation. The Committee of Management then retired to award the prizes, which were afterwards given to the children by the Chairman, with encomiums on the proficiency they had shown, and words of encouragement as to their future conduct. The prizes consisted of Bibles and other books which had been presented for that purpose by friends and -well-wishers of the school, a handsome set of Bibles having been kindly given by Mr. Knowles, of the firm of Holdsworth, Knowles, and Co. The examination having been determined on by the Committee of Management at a short notice, only the oldest boys'and^girls were examined, but the good effects of such a course in stimulating the children, and in increasing the general interest felt in the schools was 'sip' apparent, ' that it may be hoped the Committee will decide on having an annual examination of the children. The following are the names of the children to whom the prizes were awarded :—: — BOYB 0YS — ]. William Dorset; 2. John Edward Evans ; 3. Robt. Cook ; 4. Saml. Haigh ; 5. Wm. Brown ; 0. Henry Hammond ; 7. Alfred Mills; 8. Charles Mills; 9. William Gawith; 10. Edward Wakefield; 11. Walter Watt ; 12. William Webster. Girls, — 1. Elizabeth Webster; 2. Anne Brown ; 3. Emma Stiles ; 4. Elizabeth Fellingham ; 5. Anne Futter ; (5. Elizabeth Harris ; 7. Eliza Martin ; 8. Margaret Smith. The number of children now attending the school is 70 boys, and 23 girls, total 93 ; the average weekly attendance is 83. The Te Aro school, which is now completed, will be opened on the 24th inst., under the managementof Mr. Holmes, when the number of children in connection with the Church of England Schools will be considerably increased. In conclusion we may remind the friends of the School that the annual tea meeting given to the children of the different schools in connection with the Church of England will be held at the Thorndon School-room on Easter Monday, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

From some cause or other the only Lyttelton Times received by us, through the post, was of the date of 25th March, the others do not appear to"- have been forwarded. In the report of the jDroceedings in Council is the statement of Revenue and Expenditure for the current y©|i| submitted by Mr. Tancred ; the revenue, i owing to the recent extensive lana.p'urcnas^s made in' the' Province, is estimated to amount to £"20,540. It will be remembered by oui; readers that in the first session of the Canterbury Provincial Council, when the expenses of the Government were so nicely calculated as entirely to absorb all the revenue, the Lyttelton Times, in the spirit ox an optimist, and with a disposition to view every thing in the most hopeful light, said that " the machinery of Government established -was capable of disposing of '£so,ooo without costing the Province an additional infinitesimal portion of a farthing." - The revenue does not amount to above half that sum, but the increase in salaries over the last estimate amounts to £803 including aProvincial Secretary at £300 a year. The Session" of the Council closed on the Uth Instant. We regret to learn that the Church recently erected at Lyttelton, at a cost of £2000 has been so injured by the wind that it has been ! determined to pull it down. A Lyttelton Times j of April 8, through a private channel, has reached us, from which we have extracted a few items of local intelligence. Subjoined are the Estimates of Canterbury above referred to:—

For the Superintendent's Department £625 0 Supreme Court 200 0 Provincial Treasurer's Department .. 540 0 .Auditor and Accountant 155 o Resident Magistrates' Courts 30 0 She i iff and Gaol k 234 10 Police 484 1 Medical Department 4 .3 0 Coroner 27 0 Harbour Master's Department ...... 362 10 Provincial Qourci'l ]75 0 Inspection of Sheep 100 0 Printing 200 0 Provincial Solicitor * 300 0 Akaroa 293 0 Provincial Secretary 300 0 Post Office 150 0 Census .50 0 Weights and Measures 100 0 Education 1,000 0 Immigration 1 0,000 0 Public Works 10,000 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Making a total expenditure of. .£25,739 1 '3"

Revenue.

Balance from last quarter £1,500 Two thirds of Customs collected at Lyttelton 4,000 Do, do. at Akaroa 100 Balance of land fund payable to Provincial Government . . . 20,000 Fees, and fines from Magistrates Court at Lyttelton '. 60 Do. do. at Christchurch 50 Do. do. at Akaroa 30 Fees from Registration office 200 Auctioneer and Publicans' Licenses . . 600 ,~ . „ £26,540

Expenditure.