E.—2.

[Appendix A,

them to avail themselves of instruction by correspondence classes or private tuition. Eight teachers intimated their intention to take advantage of the offer, but only three made application for assistance and fulfilled the conditions. Scholarships. —Under' the Education Act, 1.914, Education Boards' scholarships were abolished, save that holders of scholarships awarded under any former Act should continue to be entitled to all the benefits of such scholarship in accordance with the conditions on which the same were granted. In lieu of Boards' scholarships there were awarded scholarships called respectively, " Junior National Scholarships" and "Senior National Scholarships." To qualify for a Junior or Senior National Scholarship a pupil is required to obtain the following percentages of the possible marks- (I) For Senior Scholarship, 65 per cent. ; (2) for Junior Scholarship, 53 per cent. : provided the candidate has not, during the two preceding years, attended for more than three months a school or schools having more than one teacher : but if the candidate for a Junior- Scholarship has not complied with the conditions stated in No. (2) he must obtain 63 per cent. The annual examination ol competitors for Junior and Senior National Scholarships was held, at Invercargill and Gore under the auspices of the Department during the last -week, in November and the first week in December. For the junior competition there were 124 candidates, and for the senior forty-eight. Of the 124 candidates who entered tor the Junior National Scholarship Examination sixty-six qualified for a pass, and in the senior* section thirtythree! were successful. Twenty-one scholarships were awarded, and of the twenty-one successful, candidates twelve aro attending the Southland Boys' High School, five the Southland Girls' High School, anel. four the Gore High School. Physical Training. —The Inspectors report that in a few sohools the instruction in deep breathing and physical exercises is exceedingly well carried out. It is now some years since a class for the instruction of the Board's teachers in physical training was held, and in view of the large number of new entrants into the service since the last visit of the Department's instructors, the Board is of the opinion that the time is ripe for a fortnight's thorough instruction to its teachers. Medical Inspection. —The Department's Medical Inspector visited during the year a few of the larger sohools in this district. The Board recognizes that a good beginning has been made with the medical cxaminatiem of school-children, but it is of the opinion that the present arrangements are inadequate. Every school should be visited at least once a year, and if the Department's Medical Inspectors cannot overtake the work, it is suggested to the Minister that the local medical practitioners might assist. " A nation's health is a nation's wealth : " therefore, in the interests of both child anel State, every effort should be made to make the medical inspection of school-children thorough and effective. If the parents are not in a position to pay for the necessary medical treatment the State shemld bear at least part of the cost. Allowances for Conveyance and Board, oj Children.-- Under the Department's regulations conveyance and boarding-allowances are granted, and the system is working satisfactorily, although the Board is strongly of the opinion that riding-horses and. bicycles should not be exclueied freim the means of conveyance on account of which the allowance is made. There are fifty-one schools where parents have availed themselves of the provision thus made for educating their children, and no less a, sum than £1,383 was paid for this purpose. The allowance of 2s. 6d. per week, which is paid to children who are compelleel to live away from home in order to attend school, was taken advantage of by thirty-one children. Manual and Technical Instruction. Information respecting this branch of the Board's operations for the year will be found in the report of the Director of Technical Instruction in E.-5. School Committees. —During the year the incidental allowances paid to Committees have totalled £3,883, an increase of £943 as compared with the amount paid during the year 1914, and £500 in excess of the minimum amount required by the Act. The Board has been enabled to draw up this liberal scale of payments to Committees for incidental expenses, especially to those of the lower-grade school, owing to a substantial reduction in office expenses and economy in other Departments. In addition to the ordinary incidental grant, the Board, so far as funds allow, assists by subsidy all voluntary subscriptions Collected locally by Committees for the improvement of the school-grounds and buildings or for the laying-out and fencing of plots for instruction in school-gardening. The Board is of, the opinion that, even with the assistance thus given, the allowances paid are not sufficient to provide funds for all. that Committees are expected to do. The Committees, recognizing that the amount of money at the disposal of the Board is limited, face the position, and, with the help of funds raised locally, assist in the upkeep of buildings and grounds. The Great War. —Since the entry of our Empire into the present titanic struggle no less than seventeen members of the teaching profession and one member of the office staff have joined the Expeditionary Forces. They are as follows : [names not printed]. The Board regrets to have to chronicle the following casualties : Lyttle, Albert, killed ; McGlashan, Peter, killed. During the year the Board supplied each school with a Roll of Honour for the purpose of recording the names of all ex-pupils who have joined, or may in the future join, any branch of His Majesty's Forces engaged in the great war. National Service rendered by Boys and Girls. —Although the pupils attending our schools have made substantial progress in their studies during the year, they have not allowed the opportunity to pass of helping those who have suffered grievously through the war. The Board recommended Committees to grant a school holiday on Friday, 26th March, to enable the pupils to raise money by voluntary effort and self-sacrifice. As a result of the children's efforts no less a sum than £1,725 was raised to assist the Belgians, who have suffered grievously through doing their duty. To the Chairman, Mr. Arohdall, as the initiateir of this appeal, a special vote of thanks was accorded by the Board. U Buildings. -In view of the conditions at present prevailing the Board has, as far as possible, strictly confined its building operations to works which were regarded as urgent or necessary. The

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