Appendix A.]

E.—2.

£20 in his first year and only £10 in his fourth year, when he requires much more to keep him. The Board also puts forward a plea for the recognition of the service of pupil-teachers and probationers towards their classification. It sees no reason why the services of these teachers should not count as ordinary service of equal length, as is clone in the case of students in the Training College. If this cannot be granted, then probationer service should be counted as half-service, as pupil-teacher service is. Grade 0 Schools. —The Board desires to emphasize the necessity for increasing the capitation allowed for schools with an average attendance below nine. The interests of the Dominion demand that people shall settle in the back country, and one of the greatest hindrances to the opening-up of the outlying districts is the want of educational facilities. The Board feels warranted in saying that the State should do considerably more than it is doing to bring the children of the remote and isolated localities under the influence of trained and capable teachers. The War — Roll of Honour. —Since the issue of last report the following thirty-two teachers and officers of the service of the Board proceeded on active service [not printed here; see Appendix B to E.-1..] Senior Inspector Richardson. —The Board records with profound regret the death, in the month of February last, of Mr. C. R. D. Richardson, Senior Inspector for the district. He had a long and unblemished record, and was held in the highest esteem for his ability and integrity, his devotion to duty, and his sympathy with the teachers of all grades. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. D. T. Fleming, Chairman.

SOUTHLAND. Sir, — Education Office, Invercargill, 15th March, 1917. In accordance with the requirements of the Education Act, 1914, the Education Board of the District of Southland has the honour to submit the following report of its proceedings for the year ending the 31st December, 1916 : — Board.- —At the beginning of the year the Board consisted of Messrs. IL A. Archdall (Chairman), G. ; E, Amos, J. Findlay, D. Gilchrist, A.. Lowrie, J. Mac-Gibbon,. H. E. Niven, J. C. Thomson, M.P., and G. T. Stevens. In conformity with the provisions of the Education Act, 1914, this district was divided into urban and rural areas. The rural area was subdivided into wards named Central, East, and West respectively. The urban area was named Invercargill Urban Area. Under the same Act the Board, which previously consisted of nine members, was reduced to eight. The old Board retired from office on the Bth August, 1916. An election of members for the new wards and the new urban area of Invercargill was held in July. Three nominations were received for the Invercargill Urban Area, five for the Central Ward, three for the West Ward, and two for the East Ward. The voting resulted in the election of Messrs. Gilchrist and Stevens as members for the Invercargill Urban Area, Messrs. Amos and Perrelle for the Central Ward, Messrs. Finlay and Thomson for the West Ward, and Messrs. Mac Gibbon and Niven for the East Ward. At the ordinary meeting held in June the Board accepted with regret the resignation of Mr. H. A.. Archdall (Chairman), who had removed to Canterbury, and placed on record its high appreciation of the valuable services he rendered for a number of years as Chairman and member. At the meeting of the new Board held on the 9th August Mr. Gilchrist was elected Chairman of the Board for the ensuing two years, and at the same meeting the Board passed a resolution appreciative of the services of the retiring member, Mr. A. Lowrie. At the November meeting Mr. Amos resigned, and the special election to fill the vacancy on the Board for the Central Ward was fixed for the 9th January, 1917. The Board's representatives on the Southland Boys' and Girls' High Schools Board are Messrs. G. T. Stevens and J. C. Thomson; those on the Board of Management of the Southland Technical College are Messrs. H. E. Niven, P. A. de la Perrelle, G. T. Stevens, J. C. Thomson, and A. L. Wyllie; those on the Gore High School Board are Messrs. I). Gilchrist, H. E. Niven, and J. Mac Gibbon; while Mr. Stevens and the Hon. T. Mac Gibbon, M.L.C, represent the Board on the Training College Committee of Advice and the Otago University Council respectively. During the year to which this report refers twelve ordinary and two special meetings of the Board were held, while the Executive Committee met twenty-two times. Schools. —The number of schools in operation at the end of the year was 182, being a decrease of three on the figures of the previous year. A household school was opened at The Keys, while the schools at Beaumont. Macetown, Five Rivers, and Half-way Bay—the two last named being household schools —w T ere closed during the year owing to reduced attendance. The 182 schools were graded as follows : Grade 0, 11; Grade I, 50; Grade 11, 40; Grade lIIa, 55 ; Grade IKb. 7 ; Grade IVa, 3; Grade IVb, 5; Grade IVo, 3; Grade Vb. 3., Grade Vc, 1; Grade Vlb, 1; Grade VIIa, 1; Grade VIIo, 1; Grade VIIo, 1. Demonstration. Schools. —ln view of the large number of inexperienced teachers in its service, the Board again respectfully urges upon the Department the need for establishing one or two demonstration schools in this district, so that the inexperienced teacher may be sent for a week or two at intervals for the observation of and practice in methods of teaching and school-manage-ment. In the absence of a training college in this district the Board trusts that the Department, will establish at least one model school to meet the demand which undoubtedly exists. Attendance. —The attendance at the schools continues to increase steadily. The following are the figures for the past five years : — Average AvcrTigc Vmaaatnm Roll. Attendance. feroeatftge. 1912 ... ... ... ... 10,792 9,552 885 1913 ... ... ... ... 10,966 9,671 882 1914 ... ... ... 11,322 10,090 89-1 1915 ... ... ... ... 11,478 10,223 870 1916 ... ... ... ... 11,668 10,457 89-.6

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