15

E.—B

Assets and Liabilities at 31st December, 1881. Assets. £ s. d. Liabilities. £ s. d, Fixed deposit at Colonial Bank of New Zealand 100 0 0 Bank overdraft ... ... ... 890 15 11 Interest accrued thereon ... ... ... 678 "Unpresented accounts ... ... ... 17 15 0 Balance of petty cash on hand ... ... 0 9 4 Balance of contract price for building ... 2,587 10 0 Rents uncollected ... ... ... 166 17 11 Balance of purchase-money of release of site to 31st March, 1882 ... ... ... 211 9 6 High school buildings ... ... ... 1,500 0 0 £1,985 4 5 £3,496 0 11 Note. —Reserves vested in Board by " Waitaki High School Act, 1878," not valued. Correct.—H. Livingston, Auditor.

OTAGO BOYS' AND GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOLS. Sic, — Dunedin, 19th April, 1882. In accordance with section 8 of " The Otago Boys' and Girls' High Schools Act, 1877," and your circular No. 795, dated Wellington, 28th November, 1881, the Board of Governors of the Otago Boys' and Girls' High Schools has the honour to forward herewith its report for the year ended the 31st December, 1881. The Board is pleased to report that the attendance in both the boys' and the girls' schools has steadily improved during the year, the number on the roll showing an increase of seventy-two boys and eleven girls over the previous year. Relying on the promise of an early possession of the site for the new boys' school, the Board has completed the necessary preparations for proceeding with its erection. The Board has to report that the sale of part of Run 161, Wyndham District, as authorized by the Government, took place on the 21st January this year. The total area submitted for sale was 10,326 acres, and consisted of 61 rural, 65 suburban, and 306 town sections. Of this area, 5,671 acres were sold, realizing a total of £17,632 4s. 9d., or an average of £3 2s. 21d. per acre. In December last both the boys' and girls' schools were inspected by the Inspector-General. They were also visited from time to time by different members of the Board. Annexed hereto you will find schedules giving detailed information required by your circular, with reports from the Rector and Lady-Principal; also balance-sheet, duly audited, showing particulars of receipts and expenditure during the year. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. D. M. Stuart, Chairman.

Receipts and Expenditube for the Year ending 31st December, 1881. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d Balance in hand on Ist January, 1881 ... 601 18 10 ' Salaries, Boys' High School ... ... 3,933 10 10 Boys' High School fees ... ... ... 1,701 0 0 I Salaries, Girls' High School ... ... 1,484 2 9 G-irls'High School fees ... ... ... 1,237 610 Salary, Janitor, &c. ... ~, 127 18 9 Rectory boarding fees ... ... ... 1,204 00 \ Salary of Secretary ... ... .., 50 0 0 Rents from High School reserves ... ... 1,798 6 6 Incidental expenses ... ... ... 248 10 0 Grants from School Commissioners,.. ... 896 1 6 Prizes ... ... ... .., ... 17 0 0 High School buildings ... ... ... 357 7XO Rectory buildings ... ... ... 25 0 0 Rectory furnishings ... ... ... 18 211 Rectory supplies ... ... ~, 793 17 2 Office disbursements ... ... ... 422 Insurance premiums ... ... ... 24 13 6 Legal expenses ... ... ... ... 9 14 2 Surveying ... ... ... ... 300 0 0 Balance in Bank of New Zealand on 31st December ... ... ... ... 44 13 7 £7,438 JI3JS £7,438 13 8 I have examined the above statement and compared it with the Treasurer's books and vouchers and with the bank pass-book, and I certify it to be correct. —H. Livingston, Auditor.

SOUTHLAND BOYS' AND GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOLS. Sik, — _ Invercargill, January, 1882. I have the honour to forward herewith the report of the Board of Governors of the Southland Boys' and Girls' High Schools Board for the year 1881, as follows : — Construction of the Board. —On the Ist of January, 1881, the following gentlemen composed the Board : Mr. N. Johnson, the Mayor of Invercargill; Messrs. G. Lumsden and F. W. Wade, nominees of the Government; and Messrs. T. M. Macdonald and James Harvey, elected by the Southland Education Board. In the month of January the Education Board elected Messrs. Thomas Watson and D. L. Matheson, in lieu of Messrs. Macdonald and Harvey, whose term of office expired. In August the term for which Messrs. Lumsden and Wade were appointed by the Government expired, and they were reappointed members of the Board. At the first meeting in January, after the change of members, Mr. Lumsden was elected Chairman for the remainder of his term of office, and was re-elected to that position in August, on his being reappointed by the Government as a member of the Board. The Board has held twenty-nine meetings during the year. There have been two schools under the control of the Board, viz., a Girls' High School and a Boys' High School.