71

B.—l

Geneeal Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1887. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. &• To Balance at beginning of year— By Office staff—Salaries .. .. 287 0 0 On Building Account .. .. 2,378 0 4 Departmental contingencies .. 202 10 2 On General Account .. .. 2,154 10 5 Inspector's salary and travelling exGovernment grant for buildings .. 2,395 19 3 penses .. .. .. 550 0 0 Other receipts for buildings—Bank in- Teachers' salaries and allowances (interest .. .. .. .. 92 15 0 eluding rent, bonus, &c.) .. 13,160 15 9 Government statutory capitation .. 14,962 111 Incidental expenses of schools .. 1,674 0 0 Special capitation .. .. .. 884 12 8 Training of teachers .. .. 73 7 6 Scholarship grant .. .. .. 238 13 5 Scholarships— Inspection subsidy .. .. .. 300 0 0 Paid to scholars .. .. .. 219 17 6 Payments by School Commissioners .. 627 19 4 Examination expenses .. .. 18 15 11, From sale of school-books, &c. .. 541 15 8 School-buildings— New buildings .. .. .. 2,439 19 4 Improvements of buildings .. 1,164 15 1 Furniture and appliances .. .. 174 16 0 Sites .. .. .. .. 537 9 0 Purchase of school material.. .. 542 12 10 Balance at end of year— On Building Account .. .. 549 15 2 On General Account .. .. 2,980 7 9 £24,576 8 0 £24,576 8 0 J. W. Babnicoat, Chairman. Stead Ellis, Secretary. I hereby certify that I have examined the above statement, together with the books, vouchers, and pass-books relating thereto, and find the same correct.—Geo. Hodgson, County Auditor. 19th January, 1888.

GEEY. Sib,— Education Office, Greymouth, 28th March, 1888. In accordance with the provisions of section 102 of the Education Act, the Grey Education Board has the honour to present the following report of its proceedings for the year 1887. As provided by clause 4 of " The Westland and Grey Education Boards Act, 1885," the Board at the beginning of the year consisted of six members, three of whom were nominated by the Governor and three elected. The nominated members were Messrs. Nancarrow, Marshall, and White; and the elected, Messrs. Kerr, Petrie, and Helms. "The Westland and Grey Education Boards Continuance Act, 1887," provided that the number of members should be increased to seven, four nominated and three elected ; and Mr. Barkley was nominated to the extra seat. Clause '4 of the same Act provided that the members then in office should hold their seats until the 31st March, 1888. No change in the personnel of the Board occurred during the year. Mr. Nancarrow held the office of Chairman of the Board at the beginning of the year, and was re-elected at the meeting in April. He was also appointed to represent the Board on the Greymouth High School Board, and as a School Commissioner. The Board held eighteen meetings during the year. The number of schools at the end of the year was twenty, as against seventeen at the end of the year 1886. Dobson School took the place of Wallsend (side-school to Brunnerton); and two aided schools were recognised—one at Lake Brunner and the other at Blackball. Two new school districts—Dobson and Westbrook —were created, making the total number of districts seventeen, managed by the same number of Committees. The following is the classification of schools according to the average attendance : Under 15 pupils, 4 schools; 15 and under 20 pupils, 4 schools ;20 and under 25 pupils, 1 school; 25 and under 50 pupils, 5 schools; 50 and under 75 pupils, 2 schools; 75 and under 100 pupils, 1 school; 100 and under 150 pupils, 2 schools ; 300 and under 500 pupils, 1 school: total schools, 20. The average attendance for the four quarters of the year was 1,193; the average for the first quarter being 1,128, and for the last quarter 1,241. At the end of the year 48 teachers were employed by the Board, 21 male and 27 female teachers. Of the total number, 15 were pupil-teachers. The Board received from all sources during the year, for general purposes, the sum of £5,092 7s. 9d., and expended £5,591 7s. 9d., thereby having a debit balance at the end of the year of £499. This was principally caused by the Board having made some increases in salaries and staffs at the beginning of the year, in the expectation of a considerable increase in average attendance. Owing to sickness and other causes this expectation was not realised. The deficit would have been much greater had not the Board, at its meeting in Jane, decided upon making considerable reductions in salaries and staff. Had the educational revenue been curtailed to the full extent proposed by the Government, this Board would have found it necessary to reduce the salaries paid to its teachers to such an extent as to be equal to an entire subversion of the public-school system in this district. The Board would most earnestly press upon your attention the necessity for devising some means by which the payments to teachers throughout the colony could be more nearly equalised. The following table will help to show the urgent necessity for some measure of the kind :—