Appendix B.]

E.—2.

Maintenance. —The expenditure on salaries for the year 1922, including £5,188 os. 2d. house allowance, was £772,654 6s. Id. This amount was exclusive of £9,120 2s. Id. paid to teachers in secondary departments and £28,923 os. Id. to training-college staff and students, the whole making a total of £310,697 Bs. 3d. by way of disbursements in salaries and allowances, as compared with £314,926 13s. for the previous twelve months. The incidental allowances paid, to School Committees amounted to £16,057 Is. 3d. The following table shows the expenditure on salaries, allowances, and incidentals for each year mentioned : —

School Staffs. —There were 920 teachers in the Board's service at the end of 1922. Of these, 380 wore head teachers or in sole charge, and 540 were assistants. There were in addition 108 pupilteachers and 145 probationers, also 32 sewing-mistresses in small schools in charge of male teachers. Conveyance of School-children. —The expenditure on the conveyance, of children to school was £6,139 17s. 3d., and on the board of children living a long way from the nearest school £1,021 10s. In all, 1,538 children were conveyed to school during the year, whilst board allowance was paid in respect of 170 children. Of the total (£7,161 7s. 3d.) paid in respect of conveyance and board, the Board contributed £209 12s. 9d. out of its ordinary capitation grant. Finance. —A reference to the balance-sheet shows that the Board has improved its position during the year by about £3,200. By the exercise of the strictest economy (admittedly a doubtful procedure where buildings are concerned) a deficit in the Maintenance Account has been reduced by about £2,000 ; the Manual Instruction Account is now on a better footing ; and the Administration Account, having had to meet fewer deficits on special accounts, has also recovered, some leeway. The Board is endeavouring to build up a reserve fund to represent the balance shown to credit for rebuilding purposes, and, provided no exceptional calls an; made on the Maintenance Account, the credit balance on the rebuilding fund at the end of the ensuing year will probably be represented by actual cash. Manual Instruction. —This subject again occupied a prominent position in the curriculum of the, primary schools of this district. About 38,000 pupils received instruction in simc form of handwork as a means of maintaining the interest and developing the intelligence of the pupils. For the first time the Department supplied the handwork material required. Unfortunately, supplies did not reach the Board till well on in March or the beginning of April, consequently the whole year's operations were hampered thereby. The material supplied was of good quality. At thirty-two schools in the district where there is no female teacher on the staff instruction in needlework was given by a local instructress. Advanced handwork was taken by all the pupils in the upper standards ; 3,342 boys were instructed in woodwork and drawing, and 3,259 girls received instruction in cookery and domestic science. A new and up-to-date manual-training building was opened at Timaru at the beginning of the year, and many of the, other buildings were improved and made more convenient. Ninety-six classes were carried on in swimming and life-saving, and keen interest was taken in this subject of instruction. Agriculture.- About 250 schools were recognized as taking agriculture, and the usual enthusiasm was displayed in the matter of carrying out tin; different competitions. About 350 pupils took up the rural course of instruction at the eleven district high schools. Fairlie School took up the, course for the first time. Technical and Continuation Classes.— Outside the larger centres very little interest was taken in technical and continuation classes during the, year. The Department's proviso requiring that to form a class the number of students under eighteen years of age must be not less than twelve for technical and eighteen for continuation classes could not be complied with, in a great many instances. The Technical High School at Greymouth was completed by the Board, towards the end of the year, and handed over to the Board of Management at Greymouth. Teachers' Classes. —In accordance with the Department's recent regulations, all available pupilteachers and probationers received instruction in home science and the different branches of drawing at Ashburton, Christchurch, Greymouth, and Timaru. Irregular Attendance. —During the year Court proceedings were taken in seventy-two cases, fines amounting to £23 15s. being imposed. Generally speaking, weather conditions were favourable, and the health of the children good. The Truant Officer pays a tribute to the- school nurses, whose services have been of great assistance in deciding as to the fitness or otherwise of some children to attend school or mix with the other children. Little trouble has been experienced regarding children leaving school to go to work, and in nine of such cases investigated all the children returned to school without Court proceedings being necessary. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister of Education, Wellington. G. W. Armitage, Chairman.

XIII

Year. Salaries and Allowances. Incidentals. Totals. Average Attendance. 1880 1.900 1920 1921 1922 £ s. 55,318 17 70,978 18 285,100 4 314,926 13 310,697 8 d. 8 7 7 0 3 £ s. d. 8,071 12 2 8,064 13 10 14,303 13 0 17,381 3 1 16,087 1 3 £ s. d. 63,390 9 10 79,043 12 5 299,403 17 7 332,307 16 1 326,7,54 9 6 16,412 23,806 29,761 32,763 33,047