B.—ll.

By former pupils the following distinctions were gained during the year : Mr. W. S. La Trobe, first class in Part 11., Mechanical Science Tripos, at Cambridge, and Assistant Demonstratorship at St. John's College; Mr. D. H. Jackson, Demonstratorship in Chemistry at University College, Bristol; Mr. W. J. Barclay, Assistant Demonstratorship in Anatomy, and Mr. W. H. Goldie, Assistant Professorship in the Maternity Ward, in the University of Edinburgh. Mr. B. C. Maclaurin having previously obtained a Wranglership in 1895, gained the second Smith's Prize in 1897 at the University of Cambridge. The Girls' High School Endowments. —When the Girls' High School was closed in 1888, the Grammar School Board undertook the education of girls as well as boys, and the mistresses and pupils of the closed school were transferred to the Grammar School in Symonds Street, on the understanding that the endowments set apart for the Girls' High School should also be transferred to the Grammar School; but that understanding was not carried out. Last year an arrangement was come to between the Board of Education and the Grammar School Board, subject to the approval of Government, with regard to' these endowments, and the "matter was submitted to the Minister of Education with a view to his getting Parliament to deal with the subject. The measure submitted to Parliament was to the effect that the £10,000 realised by the sale of timber on the endowments should be invested by the Board of Education, and the interest paid over to the Grammar School Board, on condition that one-half should be devoted to founding scholarships in the Grammar School for girls attending the Auckland Board of Education schools; and the other half devoted to paying interest on the debt on the Grammar School, and in the maintenance of the girls' side of the Grammar School. This arrangement to hold good until such time as the Board of Education should establish a separate High School for girls under " The Auckland Girls' High School Act, 1878." This scheme was accepted by the Grammar School Board, although it practically devoted to the primary schools one-half of the endowment set apart for secondary education in the Auckland Girls' High School. The scheme did not become law, as it was embodied in a measure dealing with a great number of other subjects, which being introduced late in the session, the House declined to pass. It is intended to bring the matter before Parliament as a separate measure in the next session; and it is to be hoped that the settlement of the matter will be no further delayed, as the Grammar School Board has now for ten years borne the cost of the girls' education without any contribution from the Girls' School endowments. Renovations, and Extensions. —During the year the quarters formerly occupied by the janitor have been converted into two new class-rooms. The whole of the interior has been cleaned, repaired, repainted, and several of the rooms relined, at a cost of £214 13s. Bd. The Board has imported from Messrs. Brucciani and Co. a new set of casts and plaster busts for the use of the Art classes on the girls' side. G. Maurice O'Borke, Chairman.

2. General Statement of Accounts for the Year ending 31st December, 1897. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. To Balance .. .. .. .. 626 18 8 By Management— Ground-rents .. .. .. 2,127 12 6 Office salary .. .. .. 100 0 0 Weekly rents .. .. .. 1,379 12 3 Other office expenses .. .. 47 16 8 School fees .. .. .. .. 3,100 7 8 Commission, &c, to collector .. 234 10 6 Teachers'salaries .. .. .. 3,918 17 2 School requisites .. .. .. 116 14 4 Election expenses .. .. .. 218 4 Legal expenses .. .. .. 514 6 Scholarship expenses .. .. 14 17 6 Prizes .. .. .. .. 47 11 0 Printing and advertising .. .. 110 7 5 Cleaning, fuel, and light— School .. .. .. .. 23 3 3 Property .. .. .. 36 10 8 Stationery allowance .. .. 86 16 0 Fencing, repairs, &c.— School .. .. .. .. 165 4 '5 Property .. .. .. 351 1 10 Insurance and taxes— School .. .. .. .. 52 13 6 Property .. .. .. 255 1 0 Interest on loans .. .. .. 250 0 0 Interest on overdraft .. .. 0 8 8 Compensation .. .. .. 77 0 0 Contribution to swimming sports .. 3 3 0 „ domain wicket .. 3 0 0 „ athletic sports .. 10 0 0 New buildings .. .. .. 714 3 7 W.J. Morrell (passage from London, &o.) 11l 8 4 Balance at end of year .. .. 495 9 5 £7,234 11 1 £7,234 11 1 W. Wallace Kidd, Secretary.

3. Work of the Highest and Lowest Classes. Highest. — Boys : Up to standard required for Junior University Scholarships : Latin—Bevised Latin Primer; Steadman's Latin Grammar Papers; Arnold's Latin Prose Composition; Sargeant's Passages for Latin Translation ; Livy, Book XXI. ; Horace, Odes, Book I, ; Cicero, Pro Boscio Amerino; Cruttwell and Bauton's Specimens of Latin Literature; Wilkins's Primer of Boman

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