E.—2.

[Appendix B.

the children attended to. The, appointment of dental nurses in the country districts has already proved a great boon to many, but there is ample room for an extension of the scheme. Physical Instruction.- -It is a matter for great regret that the physical instructor appointed to this district was removed to Wellington early in the year. This instructor was doing splendid work in the district, and his services have been sadly missed. One of the instructors from, the Wellington District has spent short periods in the, Nelson District during the year. Finance. —The net credit balance over all accounts at the end of the year was £3,636 18s. 3d. I am pleased to record that the General Account is at last in credit, although the amount is small. - £36 19s. Bd. Owing to tin; large percentage of small, schools in the district and the correspondingly low administration grant, the matter of keeping the expenditure within the income and at the same time carrying out the, work of tin; office with efficiency is one of extreme difficulty. The special accounts arc now all in a satisfactory position with the exception of the Manual and Technical Account. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. F. W. O. Smith, Chairman.

CANTERBURY. Sir,— Christchurch, 18th May, 1923. I have the honour to present the following report of the proceedings of the Education Board of the District of Canterbury for the year ended 31st December, 1922 : — The Board. -In the month of July, 1922, the biennial election of members took place, resulting in the re-election of Mr. E. IT. Andrews (Christchurch Urban Area), Mr. W. A. Banks (Middle Ward), and Mr. T. Hughes (South Ward), and in the election of Mr. W. 11. Winsor (Christchurch Urban Area) and Mr. R. Wild (North-west Ward). The nomination of Mr. John Maze for the Timaru Urban Area not having been received in time, and his being the only nomination, the Board, acting on the advice of its solicitors, completed the number of its members by the election of Mr. Maze; under section 18 of the Education Act. At a special meeting in September Mr. Armitage was unanimously re-elected Chairman of. the Board. During the year the Board held twelve ordinary and two special meetings. Board representatives on High School Boards : Akaroa, Mr. L. J. Vangioni, Mr. A. H. Westenra ; Ashburton, Mr. R. 8011, Mr. R. Kennedy; Greymouth, Mr. W. R. Kettle; Hokitika, Hon. H. L. Michel; Rangiora, Mr. H. Boyd, Mr. W. J. Stalker ; Timaru, Mr. J. Maze ; Waimate, Mr. J. G. Shackleton, Mr. W. Lindsay. Board of Managers of Technical Classes : Ashburton, Mr. G. W. Andrews, Mr. L. Galbraith ; Banks Peninsula, Mr. J. D. Bruce ; Christchurch, Mr. E. H. Andrews, Mr. A. Peverill, Mr. C. H. Opie ; Fairlic, Mr. J. R. Lack ; Geraldine, Mr. T. Hughes, Dr. P. W. Hislop ; Greymouth, Mr. H. J. Bigncll, Mr. F. H. Kilgour ; Kaiapoi, Mr. W. Doubleday ; Pleasant Point, Mr. J. Maze ; Temuka, Mr. G. W. Armitage ; Timaru, Mr. J. G. Gow, Mr. G. J. Scaley ; Waimate, Mr. E. Hassall. Buildings. In the aggregate the Board expended during the year a sum of £54,972 on new schools and residences and on the, maintenance of existing buildings and sites. This amount is somewhat less than the previous year, the reduction being accounted for partly by the fact that high costs in the previous year had been such a drain on the Board's finances that no works except the most urgent could be undertaken. Amongst the larger works carried out were new schools at Kaiata, Kanieri, Phillipstow'ti, Puhipuhi, Takamatua, and Wataroa ; additions at Fairlie, Redcliffs, and Timaru South ; portable schools at Linwood, Shirley, and Waimairi; technical schools at Greymouth and Timaru ; and extensions of sites at Addington and Richmond. School Committees continue to raise large sums, and claim subsidies thereon, for ground improvements, and in some cases even for additions to buildings. In this way much is being done to overcome the money-shortage, and the local authorities deserve the best thanks of the community for the valuable, work they are, doing for the schools in their respective districts. Schools. Six schools were closed during the year Big River, Callaghan's, Christchurch East Infants', Fyvie, Hakataramea Station, Okuru ; while an equal number were opened -viz., Bell Hill, Coldstream, Grehan Valley, Kaiata, Okuru (re-opened), and Puhipuhi. This left the number of schools at the end. of the year the same as the preceding December--viz., 385—0f which nineteen were of Grade 0. The following table shows the number of schools in operation at the end of each year given, also the number of children on the rolls, the number in average attendance, and the attendance expressed as a percentage of the average weekly roll number : —

XII

Year. Total of Schools. On Roll at End of Year. Average Attendance. Percentage of Attendance. 1880 1900 1920 1921 1922 185 335 380 385 385 23,086 27,930 35,370 36,498 37,601 16,412 23,806 29,761 32,763 33,047 71-1 81-6 85-5 89-7 90-1