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mistress. The school buildings are held on a six
months’ tenure, renewable at the option of the
Municipal Council without payment of rent. It has
been in contemplation to build a new school on a
site conveyed to the Bishop of Christchurch and his
successors, in trust for a school in connection with
the Church of England.

2nd. Lyttelton Church of England Infant School.
—This school is also held in the barrack-square, in
another part of the class of buildings mentioned
above, and is held on the same tenure; the number
on the books is 36. The building is cold, draughty,
and admits the rain. Hooping cough was said to
prevail to a considerable extent among the children.
The room immediately adjoins the immigration bar-
racks; when the Commissioners visited the school,
the clothes of the immigrants were hanging out to
dry immediately in front of the door and window.

3rd. Lyttelton Wesleyan Girl’s School (with some
little boys).—This school is also held in the barrack-
square, in a part of the building used as the Town
Hall; the room is 20 x 18; it is used for various
other purposes besides those of a schoolroom, and
appears generally to be at the disposal of the Muni-
cipal Council. On one occasion, as represented by
the mistress, it was necessary to dismiss the children
for half a day, as the room was required for the pur-
poses of a kitchen. The roof lets in the rain, and is
otherwise, equally with the infant school, open to
the same objections as to drainage and out-door
offices as mentioned in the case of the first of these
schools. Number on the books, 54. The committee
of this school have purchased a section of land one-
quarter of an acre in extent in Winchester street,
on which they purpose to erect a school-building in-
tended to accommodate from 120 to 150 children.

The school, held in a building originally erected as
a private dwelling-house, is:—

North Christchurch Presbyterian Boys’ School.
—The house contains four rooms, two on the ground
floor and two above. The school is held in one of
the lower rooms, the dimensions of which are 15 x 11,
the remaining part of the house being used as a
master’s residence. The building and the site was
bought for the sum of £200 from the Government
grant, and is vested in the trustees of St. Andrew’s
Church for a parish school in connection with that
church. The present building is insufficient and ill
adapted for the purposes of a school, and the number
of children attending is at least three times
greater than could be properly accommodated
with due regard to their health. The number
of children on the books is 68, whereas
the available space is only sufficient for
about 20. The ventilation is bad and the drainage
defective; there is stagnant water on two sides of
the building, with no outlet. The site, being only
one-eighth of an acre in extent, is too limited to ad-
mit of a school-building being erected such as would
meet the wants of the district. The school has
greatly increased in numbers since the present master
has had charge of it—a fact which would indicate the
expediency of providing as quickly as possible some

other site of an extent capable of affording sufficient
space for a school-room, proper out-door offices, and
a play ground.

The four schools held in private houses rented for
the purpose are:—

1st. South Christchurch Presbyterian Girls’ School.
—This school is held in a house leased from year to
year, at a rental of £40. There are four rooms in
the house. The building is ill adapted for school
purposes. The room used for teaching in is low,
dark, and ill-ventilated, and there appear to be no
out-door offices. Number on the books, 25.

2nd. Heathcote Valley Church of England Mixed
School.—The school is held in a house leased from
year to year, at a rental of £30. The house con-
tains four rooms, one of which, 15½ x 11½, is used as
a school-room. There is no fireplace, the ventilation
is bad, and generally the institution is altogether
inadequate and unsuited to the wants of the district.
The number of children actually on the books is 28,
but it may reasonably be expected that the estab-
lishment of an efficient school would raise this
number to about 100.

A site for a new school has, it is understood, been
set apart by the Provincial Government.

3rd. Timaru Church of England Mixed School.—
This school is held in a house leased from
year to year, at a rental of £35. The house contains
four rooms, one of which, 24 x 14, is used as a
school-room. The building is very unsuited for
the purpose, not being weather-proof. The supply
of school furniture and appliances generally is very
insufficient. There is no proper playground; the
children in the interval of school hours play about
in the road. Number on the books, 48.

4th. Arowhenua Presbyterian Mixed School.—
This school is held in a private house, the property
of the son of the master, rented from year to year
for the sum of £20 per annum. The house contains
six rooms, one of which, 26 x 16, is used as a school-
room. The school is situated on the forks of a
stream formed by the Timuka and Opihi, a circum-
stance which prevents the regular attendance of the
children living beyond these streams. The number
on the books is 16. Another site has been obtained,
vested in trustees for school purposes.

The three schools held in private houses where
the accommodation is given gratuitously are:—

1st. Governor’s Bay Presbyterian Mixed School.—
This school is held in a private house, containing
four rooms, one of which, 12 feet square, is used as a
schoolroom, the remainder being used as a master’s
residence. The number on the books is 11.

The population of this district is considerable, but
somewhat scattered, and the opening of stone quar-
ries in the neighbourhood is calculated to attract
still greater numbers. A site has been given for
another school. A site of five acres has been
granted by the Provincial Government for a new
school and master’s house.

2nd. Lower Heathcote Church of England