E.—2.

[Appendix B-

Medical and Dental Inspection. —The work has proceeded steadily throughout the year, and in order to further assist this work an additional nurse was attached to the district. In past years the need for the establishment of dental clinics in this district has been stressed. One has been established in Napier as from the beginning of the current year, and the Board hopes that the establishment of clinics in other centres in the district will not be long delayed. Scholarships. —Scholarships in tenure at the end of 1922 were as follows: Junior National Scholarships, 34 ; Senior National Scholarships, 12 ; Wairoa County Council Scholarship, 1 : total, 47. Buildings. —Renovation and painting of schools and residences have been proceeding steadily throughout the, year, but this most important part of the, Board's maintenance-work is still somewhat backward. In order to overtake the leeway a second gang of painters has now been engaged. New schools were completed at Otawhao and Reay Bridge. A portable school building was erected at Wallace's Crossing. A new infant school was erected at Mangapapa. Additional rooms were, added to the Havelock North and Wairoa Schools, while additional accommodation at the Hastings Technical High School and at Mahora was provided by the erection of portable buildings. During the year two serious fires occurred: the Pakipaki School was destroyed on the, sth July, 1922, and the Waipukurau School, which had been recently remodelled, on the 11th July, 1922. The rebuilding of the Pakipaki School was completed before the end of last year, but owing to the delay in receiving a grant for the work the rebuilding of the, Waipukurau School was not commenced until the beginning of the current year. The most important works in progress at the end of the year were a new school at Nuhaka, additions to Parkvale School and Greenmeadows Infant School, erection of a second portable building for Hastings Technical High School, and the erection of portable buildings for the secondary department of the Wairoa District High School. There, are many bad cases of overcrowding in the district, and there are also a number of oases in country districts where new schools are required. The Board's workshop is now firmly established, and has proved to be a fine asset for the Board. A large, proportion of the joinery and all the furniture required for the various schools.are manufactured. Considerable difficulty has, however, been experienced during the year in procuring suitable timber. The, Board uses only heart timber, and, while there is ample supply of ordinary building-timber, heart timbers are in short supply. Many jobs have been delayed owing to the difficulty of obtaining suitable timber. The practice has been followed as far as possible, in connection with buildings in wood to carry out the work by the Board's own staff. School Committees. The Board's relations, with School Committees have been of a most cordial kind. Committees greatly appreciate the benefits which can be secured by obtaining the Government subsidy on voluntary contributions, and the amount raised throughout the district is steadily on the increase. Committees have, found considerable difficulty in carrying on with the, funds for incidental expenses granted by the Department. Were it not for the fact that large sums are raised locally, the liabilities of many Committees would not have been met. The, self-reliant attitude of many Committees is worthy of high commendation. During the year the Board has had to exercise the strictest economy in regard to the requests of School Committees. Many applications for expenditure, which in the ordinary course would have, been granted, have had to be disallowed or deferred. The Board hopes, however, to make some relaxation in this direction during the current year. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. G. F. Roach, Chairman.

WELLINGTON. Sir,— Education Board Office, Wellington, 31st March, 1923. In accordance, with the requirements of the Education Act, 1914, I beg to submit the following report of the Education Board of the District of Wellington for the year 1922: — Board. —With the exception of the representation of the Marlborough Ward, the Board membership was unchanged, being now as follows :---Urban areas : (1) Wellington City and former Boroughs of Karori, Onslow, and Miramar Messrs. T. Forsyth (Chairman), R. A. Wright, M.P., J. J. Clark, and A. J. White; (2) Hutt and Petone—Messrs. G. T. London and E. P. Rishworth. Rural areas: (1) Hutt-Horowhenua Ward- Messrs. W. H. Field, M.P., and C. I. Harkness ; (2) Wairarapa Ward- - Messrs. T. Moss and W. T. Grundy ; (3) Marlborough Ward--Messrs. E. H. Penny and D. McCallum. Mr. Donald McCallum, of Springlands, succeeded Mr. R. McCallum, M.P., who did not seek re-election. Board representatives : High schools—Wellington Colleges, the Chairman ; Marlborough College, Messrs. R. McCallum, C. Ferguson, and W. D. Pike ; Masterton High School, Messrs. W. T. Grundy, T. Moss, and T. Jordan ; Hutt Valley High School, Messrs. G. T. London, E. P. Rishworth, and the Mayor of Petone. Technical schools- Wellington, Messrs. T. Forsyth, J. J. Clark, and A. J. White ; Masterton, Mr. W. T. Grundy ; Petone, Messrs. G. T. London and D. McKenzie. Schools and Attendance.- ---Twenty-one schools were closed and twenty opened or reopened, so that at the end of the year there were in operation 256 schools. The following shows the average roll and average attendance for the years 1921 and 1922 : — Average Average Roll Number. Attendance. Mean for year 1922 . . .. .. .. .. 26,457 24,289 Mean for year 1921 .. .. .. .. ..25,549 23,275 Mean increase .. .. .. .. 908 1,014

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