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though the duties of the Board and Committees in many cases overlap, there has been no serious differences of opinion that have not been met by mutual forbearance ; and the Board recognises the aid it has received from Committees by their co-operation in promoting as far as possible the cause of education within their respective school-districts. As a general rule the Committees have recognised the financial difficulties under which the Board labours, and have tried to help themselves while appealing to the Board for aid. The accounts of the Committees have been duly audited, and, as a general rule, the money placed at their disposal by the Board has been judiciously expended. The total receipts were £777 9s. 5d., and the expenditure £575 7s. lid.; leaving a credit balance in hand at the end of the year of £202 Is. 6d. Income and Expendituee.—The revenue of the Board from all sources for the year was £9,200 13s. lid., and the expenditure £9,283 11s. 3d.; leaving a debit balance of £282 17s. 4d. The amount allotted out of the building vote to this district—£l,loo —is so inadequate to provide for the pressing necessities that a contribution will have to be made out of the ordinary fund to supplement the grant. This will prevent the Board making increases to teachers' salaries where the remuneration is not adequate to the work performed—a matter which the Board very much regrets. For other matters of detail I refer you to the Inspector's report arid the tables attached, which afford much useful information. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. Thomas Kelly, Chairman.

General Statement of Eeceipts and Expendituee for the Year ending 31st December, 1885. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance at beginning of year on General By Balance at beginning of year on BuildAccount .. .. .. 969 2 9 ing Account.. .. .. 758 2 0 Eeceipts for buildings— Office staff, salaries .. .. 185 8 4 Government grant .. .. 1,042 0 0 Clerical assistance .. .. 9 0 0 Ditto for Warea School .. .. 300 0 0 Departmental contingencies .. 198 0 7 „ residence destroyed by fire 219 0 0 Inspector's salary .. .. 375 0 0 Subscriptions and donations .. 20 0 0 Inspector's travelling expenses .. 50 0 0 Government statutory capitation (£3 Teachers' salaries and allowances (in--155.) .. .. .. 5,501 211 eluding rent, bonus, &c.) .. 5,105 18 9 Special capitation (55.) .. .. 397 11 3 Incidental expenses of schools .. 727 13 3 Scholarship grant (Is. 6d.) .. 48 15 0 Training of pupil-teachers .. 64 15 0 Inspection subsidy .. .. 200 0 0 Scholarships— Payments by School Commissioners for Paid to scholars .. .. 65 O 0 primary education .. .. 359 11 2 Examination expenses, &c. .. 7 0 1 Sale of old buildings .. .. 11 10 0 School buildings— Befund examination scholarships .. 2 12 New buildings .. .. 1,552 11 10 Kent and bonus, education reserve .. 90 0 0 Improvements of buildings .. 221 18 (> Management of High School .. 39 19 7 Furniture and appliances .. 27 14 0 Two scholarships (Hon. H. Scotland) 25 0 0 Sites .. .. .. 31 2 G Stores sold .. .. .. 012 0 Plans, supervision, and fees .. 62 19 0 Balance at end of year— Auditing Committees' accounts .. 5 0 0 Building Account .. .. 230 15 1 Balance at end of year on Scholarship General Account .. .. 52 2 4 Account .. .. .. 2 311 £9,509 3 3 £9,509 3 3 Thomas Kelly, Chairman. E. Veale, Secretary. Examined and passed.—C. Eennell, Auditor.

WANGANUI. Sic, — Education Office, Wanganui, 23rd February, 188 G. I have the honour to submit the usual annual report of this Board for the year ending 31st December, 1885 :— Boaed.—The members who retired in December, 1884, were Mr. Henry Sanson, Mr. James W. Baker, and Mr. Samuel Taplin. Mr. Sanson and Mr. Baker were re-elected, and Mr. John Stevens, of Bulls, was elected in place of Mr. Taplin. Towards the close of the year Mr. G. Carson, of Wanganui, resigned his seat at the Board, and the vacancy thus caused has not been filled, because in the ordinary course he would have been one of the retiring members, and the annual election was so near at hand. Buildings and Sites.—ln January last the Board proceeded to allocate the building grant for the most urgent needs of the district; and during the year the following works have been performed : A new school has been built and completely equipped at Terrace End, Palmerston North, and another has been commenced at Paraekaretu. New residences have been erected at Ashurst and Parawanui. Large additions, with infant-rooms, have been made to the schools at Hawera, Normanby, Waverley, Bulls, and Marton ; and alterations, repairs, and minor additions have been made throughout the district where most needed, and as far as funds at the Board's disposal would permit. Although the amount under the head of " Maintenance "is large as compared with that charged to " New buildings," the Board would point out that these additions are many of them on an extensive scale, are connected to buildings which were erected many years ago, and are also needed in consequence of increased attendance. Several improvements have been introduced in the internal arrangements under the able supervision of Messrs. Atkins and Clere, the Board's architects ; and it is believed that these will assist teachers in producing better results at the examination. Shelter-sheds for the protection of children during the recess have also been erected at most of the schools, and these will bo found very useful. School sites have been acquired at Paraekaretu and Woodville, and a residence site at Parawanui; and it was hoped that a school site would have been