[Appendix A.

E.— ±

Board. —For the second year in succession the constitution of the Board has remained unaltered, the retiring members for the year (Messrs. Mitchell, Scott, and McKinlay) having been re-elected unopposed. The following are the names of the members: Northern Ward —Messrs. Donald Borrie, James Mitchell, and Andrew McKerrow; Central Ward—Hon. Thomas Fergus, Messrs. William Scott and George C. Israel; Southern Ward—Messrs. D. T. Fleming, Parker McKinlay, M.A., and James Smith. Mr. James Mitchell was re-elected Chairman in the month of August. Thirty-nine meetings of the Board were held, the average attendance of members being eight. The following were the Board's representatives on various educational bodies: Council of University of Otago—Hon. Thomas Fergus; Otago High Schools Board—Hon. Thomas Fergus and Mr. G. C. Israel; Waitaki High Schools Board —Mr. James Mitchell; Boards of Management of Associated (Technical) Classes—Dunedin, Messrs. G. C. Israel, P. McKinlay, M.A., and C. R. D. Richardson, 8.A.; Oamaru, Messrs. James Mitchell and F. S. Aldred; Balclutha, Messrs. D. T. Fleming and William W. Turner, 8.A.; Milton, Messrs. Parker McKinlay, M.A., and W. B. Graham. Number of schools. —The schools at Circle Hill, Springfield, Taiaroa Head, Hamilton, and Big Hill were closed; the schools at Merino Downs and Wanaka Road were reopened, and a new school was opened at Puketi. The number of schools in operation at 31st December, 1913, was 245, a decrease of two for the year. Ten Roman Catholic schools, with a total attendance of 1,081 pupils, were visited and reported upon by the Board's Inspectors. Teachers. —On the 31st December there were in the Board's service 672 teachers, classed as under :— Males. Females. Total. Head teachers .. .. ... .. .. 106 .. 106 Sole teachers .. .. .. .. 42 97 139 Assistant teachers .. .. .. .. 60 247 307 Total of adult teachers .. .. .. 208 344 552 Pupil-teachers .. .. .. .. 13 . 23 36 Probationers .. .. .. .. ..7 31 38 Teachers of needlework .. .. .. .... 23 23 Manual and technical (special teachers) . . 13 8 21 Teacher of gymnastics .. .. . . .. 1 .. 1 ~ vocal music .. .. .. .. 1 .. 1 . Totals for 1913 .. .. .. .. 243 429 672 Totals for 1912 .. .. .. .. 236 416 652 Increase for 1913 .. .. .. 7 13 20 The following table shows the ratio of male to female teachers for the past four years: — Adult Teachers. Pupil-teachers and Probationers. 1910 .. .. .. 100 males to 156 females .. 100 males to 256 females. 1911 .. .. ..100 „ 164 „ .. 100 „ 264 „ 1912 .. .. ..100 „ 163 ~ .. 100 „ 289 „ 1913 .. .. ..100 „ 165 „ .. 100 „ 270 „ Of the thirty-six pupil-teachers and probationers appointed during the year ten were males and twenty-six were females; fourteen of them had passed the Matriculation Examination, twenty of them had passed the Public Service Examination, and two of them had passed the Proficiency Examination. During the year 125 appointments of adult teachers were made. This means that nearly one-fourth of the adult teachers in this district have changed their positions during the year. The temporary teachers employed to fill relieving and casual vacancies averaged twenty-five per month. There were in the service in December last ninety-seven teachers who did not hold full certificates or licenses to teach, an increase of seven for the year. Of the ninety-seven teachers fifty-three uncertificated have no examination status, six have passed Matriculation, twenty have obtained partial success towards the Class C or Class D certificate, and eighteen have completed their examination tests for C or D but have not complied with other conditions . necessary to entitle them to-their certificates. Attendance of Pupils. —The roll number β-f each quarter again shows an increase over the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the mean increase being 278, or T3 per cent. The roll number for the last three years was (mean of the four quarters)—l9ll. 20,309; 1912 20 679 • 1913, 20,957. The average attendance over the whole district was 19,233, the highest recorded since the year 1897. The increase over the year 1911 was 579. Though the district was'free from epidemics during the year the great amount of wet and cold weather experienced affected the attendance very considerably, it being impossible for the pupils of the infant department to go to school with anything like their usual regularity. It is gratifying to find that, in spite of deterring climatic conditions, the percentage of the average attendance to roll number was 9T7, an increase of I's per cent, over the preceding year, and equal to that attained in 1911. Ages of the Pupils. —The average ages of the pupils in the various classes were : Preparatory, 6 years 10f months; Standard I, 9 years; Standard 11, 10 years 1 month ; Standard 111, 11 years 2f months; Standard IV, 12 years 3J months; Standard V, 13 years 1J months; Standard VI, 13 years months; Standard VII, 15 years Of mcTiths. These'figures show a slight increase in the ages for the preparatory classes and Standard IV, and a slight decrease in the ages of the

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