Central Board may supply books. Expenditure, how to be defrayed.

33. In addition to the aforesaid gratuities and advances The Board may procure class books maps and other School requisites for the efficient tuition of pupils and supply the same to any School Committee on application to the Board and payment of the cost price provided that no school pupil or parent or guardian of any school pupil buying any such class books shall be required by the District School Committee to pay more than the cost price thereof. It is like wise farther enacted that the salaries of the Teachers school sites erection repair enlargement and insurance of all School buildings and Teachers’ houses fencing and improvements except as hereinbefore provided School furniture books &c. and all other incidental expenses shall be defrayed by every Educational District out of school fees subscriptions and donations and if necessary by and out of rates to be made and levied in manner hereinafter provided.

Upon all houses shops warehouses barns stables mills and other buildings and erections and upon all yards gardens and other lands and hereditaments whatsoever according to the net annual value thereof to let whether situate in towns or elsewhere and the net annual value thereof an aforesaid shall be deemed and taken to be such sum of money as each subject of assessment may be reasonably expected to yield to the owner as rental if let to a tenant from year to year provided also that such district rate shall be collected and recovered in the same manner as rates are collected and recovered for the purposes of the Rural Districts Act 1869. Provided also that the Education Rate aforesaid shall be collected by any person duly authorised for that purpose by the District School Committee and shall be paid by the said collector to the Clerk and Treasurer of the Committee who shall account for the same to the District Committee and the said rate shall be by them applied to the purposes provided for under this Act.

District portion of expenditure how to be raised.

34. Within one month after the annual election of every School Committee and immediately after the formation of every new Educational District under this Act, the School Committee shall make an estimate of the sum that shall be required for the purposes aforesaid and also the amount likely to be derived from fees local subscriptions and donations if any during the then current year in their respective districts and if after consideration of such estimate it shall appear to the School Committee that a district rate in addition to such school fees subscriptions and donations is indispensably necessary to make up the amount required for the purposes aforesaid such District School Committee shall forthwith furnish to The Board a statement in writing of the estimate aforesaid together with a copy of the resolution of the District School Committee relating to the same and such other information as The Board shall require of them and the School Committee shall at the same time publish the said estimate and resolution by affixing a statement thereof in writing on the School house or on some public or conspicuous building in the town or place where the District School Committee usually meet and as soon as conveniently may be after the lapse of thirty days from the publication of such estimate and resolution The Board shall take the same into consideration at a meeting of which previous notice shall have been given as hereinbefore provided and at such meeting or adjournment thereof The Board shall authorise the levying of a district rate of the amount proposed by the District School Committee or shall give such other decision as to them shall seem fit and whenever The Board shall authorise the levying of a district rate it shall be lawful for the School Committee of the district in which the rate may be levied to make such rate to be assessed.

Instruction in common schools.

35. The instruction in all Schools established under the provisions of this Act shall be purely secular provided that the following branches shall require to be thoroughly taught in all such Schools viz spelling reading writing arithmetic English grammar physical geography English history English composition object lessons in form size colour distance height &c. morals. In mixed and girls’ schools provision shall be made if possible for teaching plain needlework to girls.

Evening schools.

36. Evening schools may be opened in any School building by any duly qualified Teacher under The Central Board of Education for instruction in any of the elementary or higher branches of education subject to the approval of the District School Committee the fees to be fixed by the Teacher and to be for his own sole use and benefit.

Children whom admissible.

37. Children between the ages of five and fifteen years are eligible for admission and instruction in any Common School established under this Act provided they are known to be of good moral character cleanly habits orderly deportment and shall conform to all rules and regulations on payment in advance of a weekly fee of sixpence for each pupil and it shall be the duty of the District School Committee to enforce these conditions provided always that where the School Committee certify in writing to the Inspector that any person having a child at any Common School is unable to pay the said fee of sixpence for such child or for so many as he or she may be unable to pay The Board shall pay to the Teacher thereof half-yearly the sum of thirteen shillings for every such child so long as the Inspector reports that the