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enlargement; and the Board has it in contemplation to erect an entirely new building of more suitable dimensions, and specially adapted for the teaching and training of the preparatory classes, with a view to the introduction of some modification of the kindergarten system, for which, it is needless to say, the present building is totalty unfit. Frequent and urgent demands are made at the meetings of the Board for some much-needed repairs to buildings or fences in all parts of the district, and, but for the assistance of the School Committees in making temporary provision for some works, and in contriving to do without others, the Board would find it impossible to meet a tithe of the demands upon the Building Fund. In one instance (Grovetown) it was found absolutely necessary, on sanitary grounds, to purchase an additional piece of land to enable the Committee to remove the out-offices from a dangerous proximity to the school. Scholarship.—For some years past the Board has granted one scholarship annually, of the value of £40, and tenable for two years, The Governors of Nelson College forego the usual tuition fees in these cases, so that the actual value of this scholarship is £52 10s. per annum. Since this scholarship was first established there ha,s been, as mentioned above, a steady increase in the average attendance in this district, which has now reached a number that will enable the Board to do something more in this direction, and probably an additional scholarship will be offered every second year. This would bring the Board's annual expenditure on scholarships up to the amount to which the district is entitled under the Act, and will render necessary a revision of the scholarship regulations. Finances.—The new scale of payments to Committees mentioned in my last report as having been recently adopted has so far worked satisfactorily, owing in a great measure to the loyal assistance and co-operation of the several Committees. To the Blenheim Committee especially great credit is due for the able and economical manner in which they have carried on their work on an allowance little more than two-fifths of what previous Committees had been in the habit of receiving. The saving thus effected has enabled the Board to increase the salaries of several assistant teachers, and to devote some portion of its ordinary revenue (in anticipation of the building grant) to the re'pair'and improvement of buildings. School-books.—ln consequence of the difficulty experienced by teachers in obtaining a constant supply of school-books the Board some two years ago undertook the duty of keeping a stock, and supplying the Committees and teachers from the office. The books are sold at a very small advance on cost price, to cover the expense of freight, cartage, &c. The plan has given general satisfaction to the teachers and the parents, who can now depend upon obtaining what they want at a very great reduction on the prices formerly paid, and this without any extra cost to the Board. The Board's arrangements under this head are, however, somewhat hampered by the uncertainty hanging over the whole question of book-supply in the colony, which has necessitated the procuring of small supplies from the colonial booksellers, instead of obtaining them direct from the publishers, which could only be done now at the risk of having a large stock of books thrown upon our hands in the event of the Government deciding upon uniform sets of books throughout New Zealand. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education. A. P. Seymour, Chairman. General Statement of Eeceipts and Expenditure for the Year ending 31st December, 1892. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance at beginning of year— By Office staff—Salaries.. .. .. 375 0 0 On Building Account .. .. 175 4 6 Departmental contingencies .. .. 136 3 2 On General Account .. .. 265 17 5 Teachers' salaries and allowances (inOn Deposit Account .. .. 10 0 0 eluding rent, bonus, &c.) .. .. 4,107 9 9 Government grant for buildings .. . 600 0 0 Capitation to aided schools .. .. 883 011 Special grant for Wairau Valley School 260 0 0 Incidental expenses of schools .. 369 12 11 Government statutory capitation .. 5,785 18 9 Scholarships .. .. .. 80 0 0 Scholarship grant .. .. .. 86 6 0 School-buildings— Inspection subsidy .. .. .. 200 0 0 New buildings .. .. .. 265 0 0 Payments by School Commissioners .. 200 0 0 Improvements of buildings .. .. 194 15 6 Rent .. .. .. .. 012 6 Furniture and appliances .. .. 97 14 3 Book sales .. .. .. .. 289 7 6 Sites .. .. .. .. 55 9 3 Plans, supervision, and fees .. 12 15 6 Advertising tenders .. .. 119 6 Rent of temporary school .. .. 9 6 0 School-books .. .. .. 305 12 0 Deposit returned .. .. .. 10 0 0 Balance at end of year— On Building Account .. .. 398 4 6 On General Account .. .. 571 3 5 £7,873 6 8 £7,873 6 8 John Smith, Secretary. Examined and found correct, except that a deduction of £10 19s. has been made instead of £10 Is. 9d. in the payments to the late Secretary.—James Edward FitzGerald, Controller and Auditor-General.

Sir— NELSON. Nelson, 4th April, 1893. I have the honour to lay before you the report of the Nelson Board of Education for the year ending the 31st December, 1892. The members of the Board at the beginning of the year were—Messrs. H. A. Tarrant (Chairman), Talbot, Clayden, Hursthouse, Dencker, Shephard, Phillips, Harkness, and Franklyn. At the annual election of three members of the Board, held on the 15th March, the three retiring members, Messrs. Hursthouse, Talbot, and Dencker, were re-elected. Mr. Lock was elected to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Samuel Clayden, Mr. Maginmty being elected to fill the seat vacated by the resignation of Mr. Plarkness. Two special and twelve ordinary meetings of the Board were held during the year, the average number of members present at each meeting being 75.