E.— 2.

[Appendix B.

the use of the Annex must be discontinued. The Board desires to express satisfaction that your negotiations with various local authorities culminated in an Act vesting a large and valuable property in the Auckland Board as the site for a new training college. Training-college Hostel. —In the month of March the Board opened a hostel for women students in Gillies Avenue. The number of students who took advantage of the hostel gradually increased, until towards the end of the year its accommodation was fully taxed. District High Schools. —The Inspectors' reports upon the work done in the secondary department of district high schools indicate steady and satisfactory improvement. The Board wishes to record its appreciation of the good work being done by the Inspectors in connection with post-primary education. The Senior Inspector, with the assistance of his colleagues, prepared a scries of " Courses of Work for District High Schools," for the use of the district high schools in this education district. This series has proved of very great value to teachers of district high schools. During the year district high schools were established at Kaitaia, Opotiki, Rawene, and Te Aroha, Junior High School. —In October a junior high school was established at Kowhai Road, with a roll number of more than six hundred. This school is in the nature of an experiment, which, it is hoped, will effect a considerable improvement in the education of young people. The pupils of Standards V and VI from neighbouring schools will be drafted into the Kowhai Junior High School, and will receive not only the ordinary primary-school course but the elements of secondary education. The school will be a trying-out ground. Great attention will be paid to the natural bent of each particular child, and he will be trained largely in accordance with that bent. From reports already received the Board is satisfied that the experiment will prove successful, and that such schools will make a distinct advancement in education. School Stationery. A committee of the Board spent a considerable amount of time in collecting information concerning the feasibility of establishing a department for the supply of school stationery at a cheap rate to School Committees and to schools, but arrived at the conclusion that the capital cost required for such a project was not warranted. The Board therefore reluctantly abandoned the proposal. Subsidies. —During the year a very large amount of money was subscribed in the Auckland Education District for improvements to schools and their surroundings. The willingness of the public to subscribe liberally for school purposes is a matter for congratulation. To the Board it seems important that a movement having for its object the betterment of school surroundings should be encourage, 1 in the highest possible degree. One point in connection with subsidies requires careful consideration. In the Auckland Education District it has been found not only difficult but impossible to have some of the sohools properly cleaned without having recourse to the assistance of the. older pupils of the sohools. In many case 3 these children have willingly performed the necessary service at very small remuneration from the Committee. In some cases, with a very line spirit of selfsacrifice, they have donated the money so earned to the school library or other school requirement. Their efforts have not, however, bison encouraged, as the Department has ruled that money earned by school-children for cleaning the school and donated by them to some school purpose is in the nature of a refund and does not carry subsidy. The Board disagrees with this interpretation and has endeavoured to have it reconsidered. The Board knows that the, ruling has had the effect of seriously discouraging children in their efforts for the improvement of their school conditions. Oath of Allegiance. —I havo much pleasure in recording the fact that no difficulty was experienced by the Board in obtaining from all the, teachers in its service ready compliance with the Act requiring each teacher to take the oath of allegiance. Individual Work in Junior Classes. On the recommendation of the Senior Inspector of Schools, the Board purchased for the use of the preparatory classes in Grades I and II schools apparatus for individual work. This has already proved of great value to schools of the types mentioned. Continuity of Service. —It has boen found that dislocation of the service arises from the fact that many young people take up positions as pupil-teachers and probationers as a stepping-stone to some other occupation. The Board has resolved that in future it will require from young people, before entering the service, a declaration of intention to subsequently enter the Training College and thereafter to take up the work of teaching. Medical and Dental Inspection of Schools. —The medical and dental officers of the Department still continue to do good work in this district. The establishment of a few dental clinics has proved a great boon to the children of the districts in which they have boen established. The Board trusts that the Department will see its way at an early date to extend the principle of establishing dental clinics, especially in rural areas where it is difficult for children to obtain treatment of any sort. 1 have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. E. C. Banks, Chairman.

TARANAKI. Sir,— New Plymouth, 31st March, 1923. On behalf of the Taranaki Education Board 1 have the honour to present the following report of its proceedings for the year 1922 : Board Members.--Daring the- earlier part of the year this personnel of the Board was as follows : Central Ward -Messrs. R. Masters, M.P., and H. Trimble ; North Ward Messrs. F. Hoskin and I>. .!. H.

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