Appendix A.j

E.—2.

V

Scholarships.- -The following scholarships (summarized) were awarded a< the commencement of the ourreni year: Board's Junior, ten; one was extended for one year. Board's Senior, eight; (Die was extended for two years. Junior National, four. There are now in force seventeen Board's Junior, twenty-five Board's Senior, and nine Junior National Scholarships. Training of Teachers .—"Saturday classes achers uc\x> held in art a< Hawera, Palmerston North, Taihape, Wanganui, and Feilding; in vocal music a< Hawera, Taihape, Wanganui, and Feilding; in handwork at Hawera and Palmerston North; in modelling in clay at Wanganui; in cookery a< Palmerston North; in science, botany, agriculture, and dairj work a< Wanganui and Hawera; and in woodwork a< Feilding. I , i PIL-TEAOHEBS AND PROBATIONERS . —The pupil teachers and probationers in the Board's service on tin , '■'> I st December were classed us follows: Pupil-teachers- fira< year, 21; second year, 27; third year, 12; fourth year, 8; fifth year. l. Pio!),. , iirsl year, 10; second year. ■"). ISmijiimis and Sites.—During tin , year new schools were erected at Horopito, Main South Road, Kaitieke, and Pukekaha; new residences at Ohangai, Mangaonoho, Raumai, Rangataua, Makotuku, and Waiiuna West. Additions were mad; in ihe schools at Sedgebrook, Gonville, Mokoia, Hunterville, Kairanga, Terrace End, Ohakune, and llangataua, and to the residences at Otakeho, Beaconsfield, liiverlea, and Mangarimu. The Taikorea School and residence were removed to a more convenien< site. The site and residence at Longburn were sold, and the school removed to a new site. A quarter-acre section was purchased as an addition to the Wanganui St. John's site, and a new site of I acres was secured at Mar ton on which it is intended to erect a new school at some future date. In both If the cost was paid by tiie Government. A site of about 4J acres in the western end of Palmerston North was transferred to the Hoard by the Wellington School Commissioners. A school is required in this locality, and it is the intention of the Board to apply for a. grant for tin , erection of a building. The supply of furniture and various works, consisting chiefly of thi of shelter-sheds, out-offices, fencing, metalling, repairs, repainting, installation of sewerage, &c, were carried out at the following schools (only those places are μ-iven at which the oosi exceeded £10): Apiti, Aramoho, Ashhurst, Awahuri, Beaoonsfield, Carnarvon, Colyton, Foxton, Fraser Road, Hautapu, Hawera, Balcombe, Hunterville, Hurleyville, Jackeytown, Kelvin Grove, Kimbolton, Longburn, Lytton Street, Mangaweka, Momohaki, Meremere, Manaia, Maxwell, Mount View, Marlon, Matarawa, Manui, Newbury, Oliakea, Ohingaiti, Owhakura, Okoia, Ohangai, Campbell Stfee< (Palmerston North), Patea, Parawanui, Porewa, Poukiore, Pipiriki, Raetihi, Rongotea, Rawhitiroa, Raurimu, Sanson. Stan way, Taikorea, Tβ I'oti, Taonui, Taihape, Turakina, Qpokongaro, Valley Road, Waverley, Queen's Park (Wanganui), Warrengate, Whakamara, Wanganui District High, Waitotara, Winiata Side, and Waitohi. Contracts for painting, totalling aboul £450, have just been entered into. Maintenance Gkant. — The maintenance grant for the year was £5,788, thus restoring the grant to the basis in vogue up to the year 1909. The payment has placed the Maintenance Account on a better footing. A number of very old schools and residences urgently require rebuilding, and careful management will be necessary if the Hoard is to meet the whole cost of these works out of its Maintenance Fund-i The shifting of population in several districts necessitates considerable expense in the removal of school buildings and the purchase of new sites, for which no provision is ma.de in the scale of grants. Wanganui School Sites Act. This Act, which was passed un of Parliament, empowered the Hoard to lease Hie site on which the Wanganui Technical and Infants' Schools stand, and to pledge the rent as security for a loan for the pui ihnical college, infants' school, and Hoard offices. The Board has been fortunate in securing the lease of about f> acres of ihe industrial-school estate, and a. start has been ma.de with the erection of the technical-college buildings. The building of a new infants' school and Board offices will lie taken in hand as soon as the necessary financial arrangements are completed. The technical-school site has been subdivided ami leased al a total rental of !.'!>!)7 a year. Destruction of Buildings by Fire.—H is with regre< thai the Board reports the destruction again lire, early this year, of the greater portion of the Wanganui Distric< High School building. The new portion to rep! previously destroyed by fire was completed only a few months ago. Plans have been submitted for the rebuilding of thi school on up-to-date lines. The teacher's resilience at Hiwinui was burned down in November last, but, SO far. the (lovernment has not made a grant for the reinstatement of the building, although the Board has erected it and saved the Department the payment of house allowance. In such localities it is impossible for married teachers to find accommodation, and claims for rebuilding should be dealt with at least as promptly as by insurance companies Teachers' Residences. Although the Government lias been fairly liberal in making giants for the erection of teachers' residences, there are still some places without residences, where the teachers find it a matter of impossibility to obtain suitable accommodation. In the case of a married teacher this is especially hard. The Board would again urge the Minister to favourably consider the applications in hand. Notification lias been received of a grant for the erection of \\ ashhouses and bathrooms at six, a waehhouse at one, bathrooms at seven, additions of one room at six, and two rooms ;•* three residences. The amounts allowed will not be sutlieient to carry out the proposed additions. Consequently, if the works are proceeded with, the Maintenance Fund or that part of it supposed to be for reinstatement must beai part of the cost. ScHOOii Committees' Allowances. The amendment to the Act whereby the Board is required to pay Committees a capitation allowance for incidental expenses, amounting in the aggregate for all the Committees taken together to not less than the total amount calculated at the rate of ."is. (id. for each child in daih attendance in the district, necessitated th< revision of the Board's regulations on the subject. The Board formerly paid, taking the average attendance for the whole district, at the rate of 4s. 5A<l. per child, in addition to the cost of sanitary service, fumigation of school buildings, ivc. The regulations under the Amendment Act provide that these charges