19

E.—9

2. Statement of Assets and Liabilities at 31st December, 1892. Assets. £ s. d. Liabilities. £ s. d. Rents uncollected .. .. .. 398 411 Loan on buildings .. .. .. 1,600 0 0 Foes uncollected, boys .. .. .. 234 8 0 Scholarship fund .. .. .. 125 0 0 Fees uncollected, girls .. .. .. 109 9 4 Salaries accrued and unpaid .. .. 99 15 4 Deferred payment balances .. .. G5B 2 2 Interest on mortgage .. .. .. 53 17 4 Interest on purchase-money due December, Amount due secretary, petty cash.. .. 1 18 10 1892 .. .. .. .. .. 53 2 2 Cash in Colonial Bank ... .. .. 406 2 8 £1,859 9 3 School buildings Reserves vested in Board by " The Waitaki £1,880 11 6 High School Act, 1878." - David Dunn, Chairman. George Sumpter, Secretary. Examined and found correct.—James Edward Fitzgerald, Controller and Auditor-General. 3. Work op Highest and Lowest Classes. Boys. Highest. —Junior Scholarship work in Latin, Greek, English, mathematics, physical scienceMatriculation work in French, botany, shorthand, book-keeping, and drawing. Lowest. —Arithmetic to end of fractions, algebra to simple equations. Elementary English Grammar, Longmans' English Composition. Drawing. Shorthand. Latin, to end of verbs. French, to Macmillan's First Course. Science : Paul Bert's Introduction. Girls. .ffigftesf.—English : Mason's Grammar, whole subject; English Composition; Shakespeare's Bichard II.; Tennyson's Princess ; History of England. Geography: Europe. Science : Paul Bert's First Year of Scientific Knowledge; physics. Latin : Via Latina, to ex. 63; Caesar, Book 1., to chap. 35. French: Oxford and Cambridge Grammar, IV., junior work; reading and translation, Christopher Columbus. Arithmetic : Hamblin Smith's examples; algebra, to chap. 36; Euclid, two books. Lowest. —English: Longmans' Sixth Beader; Mason's and Smith's Grammars; Petrie's Geography; StorieS from English History; English Composition. French: Chardenal, to chap. 80. Arithmetic : Compound rules, money, weights.

OTAGO BOYS' AND GIBLS' HIGH SCHOOLS. 1. Beport op the Board. Sir,— Dunedin, 10th April, 1893. In accordance with section 8 of " The Otago Boys' and Girls' High Schools Act, 1877," and in terms of circular from the Education Department dated 10th December last, I have the honour to forward herewith report of the Board of Governors of the Otago Boys' and Girls' High Schools for the year ended 31st December, 1892. The attendance in the Boys' School for the first half of the year was 214, and for the second half 216, being slightly lower than for the corresponding periods of the previous year. The average daily attendance was 98 per cent. The numbers on the roll in the Girls' School for the four quarters of the year were 175, 175, 180, and 168 respectively, and show a satisfactory increase on the'attendance during the previous year. The average daily attendance in the Girls' School for the last quarter of the year was 159. I am pleased, to report that the schools are fully maintaining their efficiency, and that the results of the work done during the year were satisfactory. The Board decided, after the commencement of the present year, to grant free education at the High Schools to boys and girls who obtain fifty per cent, of the attainable marks in the junior scholarship examinations. This privilege has hitherto only been enjoyed by candidates for senior scholarships. During the year the Board sold four quarter-acre sections in the Township of Arden, at £7 each, and leased sixteen suburban and two rural sections for a term of fourteen years. The area of the suburban holdings ranged from 2 to 42 acres each, and the rural sections contained 74 and 218 acres each. During the year the Crown Lands Department forwarded a petition, which it had received from workmen and others on the Otago Central Bailway-linc, to have part of the Board's endowment at Strath Taieri thrown open for settlement. As the lease of the land in question had over seven years to run, the Board was unable to consider the advisability of agreeing to have the petition granted, but it resolved to hand over Section 8, Block V., Strath Taieri, containing 170 acres, to the Lands Department, for disposal as a Village Settlement, in terms of " The Land Act, 1892." The section has since been subdivided into eight allotments, averaging about 20 acres each, which will be offered to the public at an early date. In the early part of the year the Board received with regret the resignation of the Hon. Thomas Dick, who, in various capacities, rendered valuable services to the cause of education, and it welcomed the appointment of Dr. Hislop as his successor on the Board. Dr. Hislop's experience in educational matters is of considerable value to the Trust. I have, &c, D. M. Stuart, D.D., Chairman. The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington.