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2. Statement of Ebcbipts and Expendituee for'^the Year ending 31st December, 1884. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Endowments paid by School Commis- By Balance, Ist January, 1885 .. .. 634 11 0 sioners .. .. .. .. 634 11 0 £634 11 0 £634 11 0 James Baekley, Chairman. E. L. Eobinson, Secretary. I hereby certify that I have examined the above account, compared the same with bank-book, and find the same to be correct.—W. A. Spence, Auditor, 15th January, 1885.

HOKITIKA HIGH SCHOOL. Statement of Eecbipts and Expendituee for the Year ending 31st December, 1884. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Endowments paid by School Commis- By Office expenses .. .. .. 8 9 0 sioners .. .. .. .. 634 11 0 Balanceilst January,lBBS .. .. 62G 2 0 £634 11 0 £634 11j 0 J. Giles, Chairman, also Secretary and Treasurer. I certify that I have examined the above statement of accounts, and, having compared the same with vouchers and bank pass-book, find the same to bo correct and according to law.—W. A. Spence, Auditor, 10th January, 1885.

c WAITAKI HIGH SCHOOL. 1. Boaed's Eepoet. Sib,— Oamaru, 27th April, 1885. I have the honour to forward herewith the annual report of the Waitaki High School. The number of boys in attendance has risen from forty-one to fifty, and there is little reason to doubt that the numbers will steadily increase. The school has to thank the liberality of local benefactors for a very important addition to its usefulness. The Hon. S. E. Shrimski and Mr. George Jones, jun., have generously offered scholarships of £10 10s. per annum for three years and two years respectively, to be competed for by boys from the public schools of the district. The Hon. H. J. Miller, the Hon. E. Campbell, and Mr. John Eeid have contributed £125 towards a scholarship fund which will provide free education for boys educated in the district and under thirteen years of age. Besides this, four boys from the primary schools have been elected by the Board to free scholarships. The boys thus attracted to the school are of the best kind, and have distinguished themselves by their industry, ability, and good conduct. Considerable improvements have been made in the grounds of the school. A belt of trees has been planted along the whole sea-front of the reserve to shelter the school and playinggrounds, and another broad belt has been planted to protect the southern side. The front of the school is being levelled and laid out. Arrangements have been made for turning a large lagoon into a swimming-bath, and a fives-court will be erected to give occupation to the boys during the dinnerhour. The number of boarders has nearly doubled, and is likely to increase still further. The funds do not permit of as much enlargement in the teaching staff as could be wished. A sum of £100 has been voted, which will be used in payment of a resident master, who will undertake the work of third master. A provisional appointment has been made. Some branches of science are already being taught. Eegular hours have been set apart for physical geography, physics, and botany, and the teaching of the physics will in future be accompanied by illustrations, the apparatus for which has been ordered from England. There is much to be done before the curriculum of the school can be fully developed. The Board is anxious to establish a chemical laboratory, and provide practical teaching in this branch of science. To compete fairly with other schools there ought to be a staff of four well-qualified masters, a number necessary to the right classification of boys differing greatly in age. If the staff were larger the Eector could give more special attention to boys preparing for the universities. The Board is anxious that drawing, freehand and mechanical, should be taught to all the boys in the school. During the past year the health and physical training of the boys have been attended to. A 12-in. drain has been made from the school to the sea. The boys have been drilled weekly by Sergeant-Major Macpherson, and have made rapid progress under his care. The rifle-butts are distant, and no arrangement has yet been made for target-prac-tice. The funds did not permit of the examination of the school by university professors, and an inspection of the school by any qualified person appointed by the Government would be welcome. The standard of work done has become much higher, and the boys who have attended the school from the beginning, it is believed, have made very good progress. Commercial depression has affected the growth of income, and the Board is unable immediately to make the many needful improvements mentioned^above. ? Indeed,|the capital limitation of the Board's usefulness is the inadequacy of the endowments. I have, &c, GEOBGE _ SuMPTEE, The Secretary, Education Department. Secretary.