5

E.—9

Staff. —The following additions to the staff have been made during the year : Mr. P. Marshall, M.A., B.Sc, F.G.S., formerly senior scholar of the University of New Zealand, Science master; Mr. James Hight, M.A., formerly senior scholar of the University of New Zealand, French and German master; Miss W. Picken, M.A., formerly junior scholar of the University of New Zealand, assistant mistress ; Mr. H. J. D. Mahon, 8.A., of the University of New Zealand, English and commercial master ; Mr. Thomas Dunn, 8.A., formerly junior and senior Education Board scholar, and New Zealand University junior scholar, junior master. Two valued members of the staff died during the year—viz., Mr. E. E. Watkins, who for twelve years held the office of French and German master, and Mr. Owen Ilbert, M.A., for three years and a half chief classical and English master. Boll. —The number of pupils on the roll for the last term of 1896 was 381—viz., 208 boys and 173 girls. Endowments. —The endowments which were set apart for the Auckland Girls' High School remain unutilised; and, at the same time, the wants of this school, caused by the opening of the girls' department, are urgent. When the Girls' High School was closed by the Board of Education and taken over by the Board of Governors of the Auckland College and Grammar School, a portion of this building and of the playground, which had been designed exclusively for boys, was appropriated to the school for girls; and this arrangement, which was intended to be temporary, has now been in operation for more than eight years. The present accommodation in both departments is barely adequate. G. Maueice O'Eokke, Chairman.

2. General Statement of Accounts for the Year ending 31st December, 1896. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance .. .. .. .. 234 11 6 By Management— Ground-rents .. .. .. 1,947 12 6 Office salary .. .. .. 100 0 0 Weekly rencs .. .. .. 1,241 8 6 Other office expenses .. .. 54 10 2 School fees .. .. .. .. 3,195 5 8 Commission, &c, to collector .. 210 5 5 Contractors'deposits.. .. .. 15 0 0 Teachers'salaries and allowances .. 3,890 15 10 Sale of old buildings .. .. .. 23 0 0 School requisites .. .. .. 139 15 6 Loan from Diocesan Pension Board .. 1,000 0 0 Election expenses .. .. .. 3 410 Legal expenses .. .. .. 35 8 9 Scholarship expenses .. .. 9 10 0 Prizes .. .. .. .. 55 8 8 Printing and advertising .. .. 106 6 6 Cleaning, fuel, light, &c.— School .. .. .. .. 4G 15 3 Property .. .. .. .. 20 13 9 Book and stationery account, and other temporary advances .. ~ 125 9 4 Fencing, repairs, &c.— School .. .. .. .. 215 11 9 Property .. .. .. .. 572 110 Insurance and taxes— School .. .. .. .. 37 12 0 Property .. .. .. .. 207 0 5 Interest on loans .. .. .. 242 10 0 Compensation .. .. .. 272 1C 6 Contribution to swimming sports .. 3 3 0 „ domain wicket .. 6 0 0 athletic sports .. 10 0 0 New buildings .. .. ... 650 0 0 Contractors' deposits refunded .. 15 0 0 Balance at end of year .. .. 626 18 8 £7,656 18 2 £7,656 18 2

W. Wallace Kidd, Secretary. Examined and found correct, with the following exceptions : (1) That the loan of £1,000 for the purpose of building cottages at Devonport has been raised without the authority of law; (2) that the payment of £84 to a member of the Board for his services as teacher under the Board is unlawful, and must be refunded.— J. K. Waebueton, Controller and Auditor-General.

3. Work of the Highest and Lowest Classes. Highest.—Boys: Latin, mathematics, English, French, chemistry, electricity, and magnetism, as for University Junior Scholarships. Girls: The same, with the substitution of heat and botany for chemistry and electricity, and with the addition of drawing and painting. German is taught on both sides as an optional extra subject. Lowest. — Boys : Latin—Elementa Latina (Morris). French—Chardenal's First Course. English—Mason's First Notions of Grammar, with easy parsing and analysis; reading and repetition from Longmans' Fifth Eeader and Evangeline; Longmans' Historical Eeader. Geography—Longmans' Shilling. English composition. Arithmetic—Longmans' Shilling, as far as vulgar fractions, inclusive. Girls : Same as boys, except that Latin is not taught. 4. SCHOLAESHIPS. The College gave free education to twenty foundation scholars, twenty holders of certificates of proficiency from the Education Board, six children of members of the teaching staff, and one Maori scholar. Seven Eawlings, seven Williamson, and sixty-five Education Board scholarships were held at the College.