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students attending this school shall be of a thoroughly practical and scientific character. The examinations of candidates who competed for the scholarships given by the Board and open to all NewZealand were held in February and June. The names of the successful candidates are J. T. Partridge, T. M. Marr, G. Slater, J. Green, J. E. Hart, and W. H. Strouts. Two intending students passed successfully the entrance examination. The school will therefore open with eight resident students, and it may reasonably be expected, that before the end. of the year there will be as many students in residence as there are apartments for their accommodation. Gibls' High School. This school has made satisfactory progress during the past year. The attendance has been nearly the same as that of the preceding year. Eighty-eight pupils are attending during the present term. Examinations were held by Professors Brown and Cook in December last, and a favourable report was given by those gentlemen. The exhibitions of £20 each were gained by Caroline Woodley, Elizabeth Milsom, and Elizabeth Harris. The exhibitions of £10 each, were gained by Edith Searle, Ellen Pitcaithley, Marian Kempthorne, and Eva Kempthorne. Prizes also were given to the deserving pupils at the annual meeting held in December. One of the pupils, Janette Grossman, gained a Universityjunior scholarship last year. She is, I believe, the first candidate from any girls' high school in New Zealand who has obtained one of these scholarships. Tenders were received for erecting the new buildings for this school on the site near Cranmer Square, purchased in 1878. A tender for £4,567 Bs. 9d. was accepted, the buildings to be completed in February next. Boys' Hig-h School. The school-building is nearly finished. All arrangements have been made for opening the school in January next. Commissioners were duly appointed to select two masters of high attainments in England, and the Board hope to receive advice of their appointment by the mail due here in August. By a letter received a few days ago from Dr. Abbott, of the City of London School, who was requested to act as convener of the meeting of the Commissioners, the Board was informed that, owing to failing health, he was unable to undertake the duty. The College Committee, to whom the Board delegated the power, took prompt action in the matter. Letters will be forwarded by the outgoing mail to Mr. Walter Kennaway, who was largely instrumental in founding this College, and who has taken great interest in its progress, to make all necessary arrangements for the meeting of the Commissioners. The Committee has decided to open the school in May next, instead of January, as originally intended. This unavoidable delay is much to be regretted; but, obviously, it would be unwise to make a commencement before the arrival of the teachers to be selected by the Commissioners. Public Libeaet. Additional fittings, which were much required, have been provided. Considerable additions have been made during the year to the books in both the reference and circulating departments. Four hundred and fifty-two volumes for the Reference Library were lost in the ship " Knowsley Hall," but were insured. Orders were immediately sent to England for a similar shipment. One hundred and forty-five volumes have lately arrived in the " Norfolk," and the remainder are now in Lyttelton Harbour in the ship "Hudson." Four hundred and ninety-eight volumes have been added to the circulating department, and upwards of 800 additional volumes have been ordered from England. To meet the growing requirements of the subscribers (he number of periodicals has been largely increased, as many as six copies of each of the most popular periodicals being now received monthly. There are now upwards of 11,800 volumes in the Library. Catalogues of the books have been compiled and printed at a cost of £113 10s. These catalogues can be obtained from the assistant librarian. The subscribers to the circulating department are much more numerous, the list for last quarter being 1,347. School op Mines. A very valuable collection of metallurgical specimens, selected and forwarded by Professor yon Hochstetter, has been received, and placed for the present in the Museum. The annual grant of £150 has not been received from the Treasury, the. Minister of Education having refused to sanction the payment. School of Medicine. Nothing further has been done towards establishing this school, owing to the want of funds. The reserve of 4,752 acres set apart as an endowment has not been leased, as it was not considered advisable to let the land at a very low rental for a term of years. The school cannot be commenced in such a way as to warrant a reasonable hope of success without adequate means, and, as the rental which the land would bring in, if leased in these depressed times, would be quite insufficient, the Board determined to wait for an improvement in the value of land before inviting tenders for leasing ; but there is no alteration in the opinion of the governors of this College as to the importance of the establishment of a medical school. Accounts. The accounts of the Board for the financial year ending 31st December last were duly audited and certified as being correct by Mr. Ollivier, who was appointed by the Government for that purpose. A copy of the accounts thus audited, together with a balance-sheet showing the exact state of the accounts of the various departments under the control of the Board, made up to Ist July, is now on the table for the information of members.