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3. Report of Mr. H. B. Kirk, M.A., to the Inspector-General of Schools. Sir, — Education Department, Wellington, 27th December, 1886. I have the honour to report that I spent the morning of the 3rd instant in the Akaroa High School. Nine scholars were present —five girls and four boys. The boys and girls are taught in separate rooms, an arrangement which involves a great and, I think, in the circumstances, needless waste of power. There are two classes of boys and two of girls. Among the school documents there is no official register of attendance. I would suggest that the admission register should show progress and withdrawal. With regard to the teaching, there should, I think, be a little more use of the blackboard, and text-book lines should not be followed too closely. Mr. Walton informed me that the year's work was not to be concluded with a general school examination. This seems a pity. Enclosed is a syllabus of the year's work. I have confined the foregoing remarks to notes of what seemed to me to be defects. I am, however, satisfied that good work is being done, and done very thoroughly. I have, &c, The Inspector-General of Schools, Wellington. H. B. Kirk.

4. Work op Highest and Lowest Classes. English. —Highest: Smith and Hall's Grammar, parsing, analysis, composition, Shakespeare's Tempest. Lowest: Morrison's English Grammar, parts of speech, Contie's Word Expositor. French. —Highest: Macmillan's Second Year Course, De Fivas' Grammar, Hachette's Reader. Lowest: Ahn's First Course to Exercise 100. Latin. —Highest: Cicero, Catiline Orations ; Public School Latin Primer, Bennett's Latin Exercises. Lowest: Smith's Principia, Part I. —nouns and adjectives. Arithmetic. —Highest : The whole subject. Lowest: Compound rules. History. —Highest: Edith Thompson's—William 111. to Victoria. Lowest: Brief History of England (portions). Geography. —Highest : Cornwell's Geography, and Patterson's New Zealand and Australia. Lowest: Phillips's First Geography ; New Zealand and Australia. Mathematics. —Highest: Euclid,'Books I. and 11., with riders; algebra to quadratics. Lowest: Euclid, Book I. to Proposition 13; algebra, simple rules.

WAIMATE HIGH SCHOOL. 1. Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1886. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance .. .. ' .. 54 0 8 By Salary .. .. .. ..800 Current income from reserves .. .. 181 9 0 Postage-stamps and stationery .. .. 214 2 Fixed deposits matured .. .. 250 0 0 Subsidy to South Canterbury Education Interest on fixed deposits .. .. 12 10 0 Board .. .. .. .. 75 0 0 Examination expenses .. .. .. 410 0 Scholarships .. .. .. .. 42 10 0 Prizes .. .. .. ..330 Printing, stationery, and advertising ... 5 5 0 Interest on current account .. .. 0 2 6 Cheque-book .. .. .. ..040 Exchanges on cheques .. .. .. 0 5 6 Travelling expenses of members .. .. 4 14 0 Landbroker's account .. .. 13 2 0 High School scholars' fees paid by Board .. 9 2 6 Deposited in bank at fixed deposit .. 310 0 0 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 19 7 0 £497 19 8 £497 19 8 J. H. Graham, Secretary and Treasurer.

2. Statement of Scholarships. Scholarships granted by the Board and held at the Waimate District High School: lat £20 ; 2at £10 ;1 at £5. In addition three pupils had their school fees paid by the Board.

ASHBUBTON HIGH SCHOOL. 1. Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1886. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Current income from reserves .. .. 421 15 7 By Dr. Balance at beginning of year .. 340 14 9 School fees .. .. .. .. 213 6 9 Teachers'salaries and allowances .. 613 15 0 Books, &c, sold, and other refunds .. 27 810 Printing, stationery, and advertising .. 13 4 5 Debit balance at end of year .. .. 400 1 4 Cleaning, fuel, light, &c. .. .. 42 2 9 Book and stationery account and other temporary advances .. .. 37 0 2 Fencing, repairs, &c. ... .. .. 41 9 8 Interest on current account .. .. 31 17 0 Law expenses .. .. .. 16 12 10 Incidentals .. .. .. .. 12 15 11 £1,152 12 6 £1,152 12 6 W. C. Walker, Chairman. J. E. Buchanan, Secretary and Treasurer. I have audited this account, and find it correct. Like all other accounts of high schools, its debt is increasing every year. There is no remedy but that of largely increasing the fees.—J. Ollivier. 13th April, 1887.