19

H.—l

We have already shown that the incomes of several of the most important schools are inadequate for their maintenance, and with a view to placing them in a more satisfactory position have recommended that the governing bodies should he empowered to sell their reserves, and invest the proceeds to the best advantage. In the case of some of the schools, however, we fear that this power will not be sufficient to render them at once independent of extraneous aid. The reserves of the Auckland Girls' High School have not yet been specified, and it is possible that they may not for some time produce a suitable revenue. The school, therefore, will require an annual vote-in-aid until the income from its endowments is large enough to make up the difference between the amount of the fees and the current expenditure. The reserves of the Christchurch Girls' School were from the first open for sale, but a portion of them has not yet been sold, and yields no revenue. We suggest that the proportion of revenue from secondary-school reserves which is due to North Canterbury may properly be applied to supplement the income of this school. The authorities of Wellington College hold an endowment applicable to the purposes of a girls' high school. This endowment, however, produces no revenue; so that all that can be done at present is to maintain special classes for girls, open during two hours each day, the instruction being given by the ordinary staff of Wellington College. The proposed power to deal with the reserves would go far towards enabling the College authorities to make more satisfactory arrangements; but in the meantime an annual grant will be necessary for this purpose, as well as for the purposes of the boys' school. The Thames High School Board is about to open a school under conditions which will render it necessary for the Government to furnish an annual subsidy for some time to come. The endowment, consisting of land to the value of £10,000 out of the Te Aroha Block, is not yet available. A vote of £1,500 has already been expended in the purchase of a site, buildings, and furniture. A headmaster and a mistress, whose salaries amount to £600, have been appointed. The salaries of the teachers must be drawn almost entirely from the fees of the pupils, the proportion of revenue from secondary-school reserves applicable to the maintenance of the sehool being very small. It would require sixty pupils paying £10 a year each to make up a sum sufficient to pay the salaries of the teachers already appointed; and it is obvious that two teachers could not efficiently instruct sixty pupils of both sexes in all the subjects of secondary education. The case of this school is an illustration of the necessity of making provision for the payment of the principal teachers independently of the income to be derived from fees, leaving the fees to supply the salaries of assistant teachers and to meet incidental expenses. In addition to the schools which have been mentioned, some provision, not: in every case sufficient, has been made by the Legislature for the establishment J of high schools at Oamaru (Waitaki High School), Ashburton, Wanganui, New Plymouth, and Whangarei. We believe that if power were given to the Southland High School Board to deal with its reserves as we have recommended, it would be placed in a position to open a boys' high school at Invercargill in addition to the girls' school which is now in operation. Owing to the recent large accession to the number of high schools it does not appear that many places remain where such schools are urgently needed. At Nelson, however, there seems to be a pressing want of a high sehool for girls. The school ought to receive an •endowment in land, and might for a time be aided by an annual vote, as in the case of the Auckland Girls' High School. It might advantageously be placed under the control of the governors of Nelson College. The population of Westland, also, considered in connection with its geographical isolation, would warrant the institution of a high school at Hokitika; and the income from secondaryschool reserves in the district would suffice for its maintenance. Although there is no present need for any considerable extension of the < secondary-school system, it must nevertheless be borne in mind that, as the several j small centres of population in New Zealand become larger, a demand will< naturally arise in them for the foundation of new high schools. As a rule, when a town and suburbs contain a settled population of about 5,000 it will be desirable to establish a high school there; and in some circumstances even a smaller population than 5,000 might reasonably expect to be supplied with the means

i Insufficiency of existing provision ' for some schools, i

New schools projected or required.

General proposals of new schools,