386

2. The salary formerly voted to the Assistant in Mr. Livingstone’s school was only £100 per annum, but as no one could be procured for this small pittance, I have ventured to increase the allowance to £150 per annum.

3. The Teachers’ salaries are put down in my estimate at the rate of £50 each per annum. This is done on the presumption that the new Education Bill will be passed, and that the different School Committees will be in a position to provide from local sources the remainder of the salaries for the half-year commencing 1st April, 1862.

In connection with this matter I may mention, that in accordance with the resolution of the Government, as communicated to me by your Honor in your letter dated March 13th, 1862 (No. 35), I have entered in my estimate the sum of £356 5s. required to make up for deficiency of teachers’ salaries for the current six months caused by the disallowance of last year’s Ordinance.

I have, &c.,

JOHN HISLOP,

Secretary Education Department.

His Honor the Superintendent, Otago.

IMMIGRATION REPORT.

Immigration Department,

8th April, 1862.

Sir,—Since my last report to your Honor, the following ships with assisted Immigrants arrived in port, viz., the “Derwentwater,” and “Chile,” from London, with 94 and 133 souls respectively, and the “Silistria,” from Glasgow, with 217 souls. The demand for country labourers and female domestic servants was brisk at the time, and the said classes were speedily engaged at good wages.

The temporary suspension of Immigration enabled me to devote my whole attention to the recovery of Immigrants’ Bills. The following is the amount collected from 1st October, 1861, to 31st March, 1862, viz.:—

Total for six months... £4,457 18 5

The success that attended my efforts during the months of October and November, gave me bright hopes as to the future, especially as the greater portion was contributed by Immigrants of long standing; but such hopes were delusive. Notwithstanding repeated communications by letter, and personal visits, not a few still use the money justly due by them to the Government, in furthering their own personal interests. The resolution of the Government to sue such individuals is the only effective means for bringing the money out of their pockets, and legal proceedings would have been taken against them ere now, but the discontinuance of the District Court retarded our progress for a time. The Provincial Solicitor intends taking action before the Supreme Court, which will be still more expensive to the parties concerned. It must be admitted that the Government have hitherto been lenient to a fault, and while they still are inclined to extend the time of those who can make out a just claim to such indulgence, they are equally determined

II. CONTINGENCIES.

1. The new Bill provides that one-half of the passage money of teachers from Britain, or the neighbouring settlements and colonies, shall be defrayed by the Education Board. From the scarcity of teachers in the Province, it may be necessary for some of the School Committees to procure teachers from Australia or elsewhere, during the course of the next six months, and I have, therefore, provided for this contingency by a proposed vote of £100.

In reference to the two additional Masters which I believe ought to be provided for the Otago High School, I was at one time in the belief that such might be procured from the neighbouring colonies or settlements, but on more mature consideration, and after consultation with Mr. Livingstone on the subject, I am led to think that the more advisable course will be to procure two thoroughly qualified gentlemen from Britain, even at the cost of the much longer delay which this would involve; I have therefore ventured to put down £900 for this purpose.

III. SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

The estimates for the buildings have been prepared by Mr. Langlands. Your Honor will be surprised at the largeness of the amount required. If I had thought it at all possible to effect such an arrangement by the proposed new Ordinance, I would have strongly recommended that the districts should be required to provide a certain proportion, say a fourth, a third, or a half, of the cost of their respective school buildings. This would have proved a very