8.—4

1888. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: INSTITUTION FOR DEAF-MUTES. [In Continuation of E.-4, 1887.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Extract fbom Eleventh Annual Eepobt of the Ministeh of Education. Institution foe Deaf-mutes. The number of pupils in the school at Bunmer at the end of the year 'was forty-two, showing an increase of one for the year, four having entered and three left. The institution has now been at work so long that older pupils will be leaving every year and making room for new pupils. The advantage secured by the addition made to the staff is at present neutralised by the absence of the senior assistant master, to whom it has been necessary to grant leave of absence for a few months. His return, however, is daily expected, and the school will soon be in a better position than ever to do justice to the pupils. The expenditure for the year was .43,732 15s. 9d., accounted for as follows : Salaries, £1,221 12s. 9d.; board of pupils, .£1,666 Bs.; rent, £562 10s.; travelling, £130 3s. 6d.; sundries, £152 Is. 6d. Towards this expense the parents contributed £318 12s. Bd.

No. 2. Ebpoet of the Director. Sic,— Sumner, 9th May, 1888. In discharging my official duty to forward to the department this year's report of the institution I have the honour to state that active and united co-operation has again been the leading principle adopted by all the oflicers in their work during the past year. No stone, in fact, has been left unturned to produce maximum results in the least possible time ; and, if I do not wish to extol the quality of the work as being in some instances of a superior order, I may, at any rate, claim for the greater portion of it a character of thoroughness and substantiality. In point of numbers there has been little change. Forty-two pupils were present from the beginning to the end of 1887. The deaf pupil-teacher, who in February joined the classes for the purpose of practising lip-reading, was hardly a month in the institution before she showed serious symptoms of the same illness that caused her deafness, and on the recommendation of the Medical Officer she was sent back to her friends. The vacancy thus created was almost immediately filled up by a younger pupil, likewise deaf only. I—E. 4.