51

Building Accounts.

These show an expenditure of £2,670 on schools and teachers\' houses, during the eighteen months included in these accounts, in addition to that previously reported upon. But the work is not yet completed. Since the beginning of the present year, two additional teachers\' dwellings have been finished, two more are in progress, and two schools with dwelling-houses attached are under consideration.

For these the funds now in hand, accruing from the proportion of Land Sales set apart for educational purposes will suffice, and the Board trusts that before long it will be able to congratulate the Province upon possessing a more complete set of buildings for the purposes of general education than can be found elsewhere in New Zealand.

Estimate for the Year 1861-2.

1. Salaries.—On these, the largest and most important item of the expenditure, depends the efficiency of the whole system of education. Whilst in other respects the condition of the teacher has been improved, the salaries are still inadequate to render so responsible a situation sufficiently attractive; although they are as high as the sums voted will admit of.

By its "Resolutions" of September, 1860, a copy of which is enclosed, the Board has recognised the propriety of increasing the salary to a certain extent in proportion to the number of scholars and the average attendance, whilst the small sum expended in gratuities, gives the opportunity of recognising meritorious exertions in smaller schools.

The increasing demand for female teachers to give instruction in the branches of education peculiar to their own sex, and their superior aptitude for teaching the first rudiments to the younger children, has led to the adoption of the 5th Resolution, and the number of such assistant teachers already appointed, and the consequent increase in the attendance at the schools, with the benefits which they confer at a comparatively small cost, leave the Board to express the confident hope that it will be enabled to continue and still further to develop this part of its arrangements.

2. The Incidental Expenses have been already sufficiently explained.

3. Rents.—The payment to the "Nelson School Society" is a permanent charge. Those on account of Ranzau and Motueka represent the interest of sums which would probably suffice, or nearly so, to erect the necessary buildings, in case those now rented should become no longer available.

4. Maintenance of School Property.—The value of this property may be roughly estimated at about £8,000. The cost of keeping up and maintaining which in good order cannot be taken, one year with another, at less than five per centum, although for some short time it may probably be less. Meanwhile, some of the new buildings are still in an unfinished state; requiring painting, internal fittings, fences, &c., and the amount put down will not do more than complete them in these and other essential respects.

5. Expenses of Central Board.—Under this head, the advantage of providing the schools with bells, clocks, and pumps instead of wells, for the greater security of the children, has been urged upon the consideration of the Board.

This would, however, entail the necessity for a farther grant of about £400.

The Board has, therefore, thought it sufficient to point out that such deficiencies exist, to be supplied whenever the necessary funds are provided for these purposes.

I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your very obedient Servant,
DONALD SINCLAIR,
Chairman.