Appendix D.

MEMORANDA BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EDUCATION BOARD.

Education Board,
Wellington, 20th April, 1875.

Sir,—

Agreeably to the request conveyed in your letter to the Secretary, dated the 15th inst., I have the honor to forward sundry memoranda, relative to the proceedings of the Education Board since the Report laid before the Provincial Council at its last meeting.

The total revenue of the Board from all sources, for the twelve months up to the 31st March last, has amounted to £12,393 4s., and the expenditure, including the repayment of the Bank overdraft of £1,037 6s. 7d., and an advance made by the Provincial Government of £300 against rates, has amounted to £12,657 4s. 9d., shewing an excess of £264 0s. 9d., being the amount of the present overdraft at the Bank.

At the last meeting of the Provincial Council, the sum of £6,457 was voted for School buildings and Teachers’ residences; out of this the sum of £3,228 10s., being one half of the amount voted, has been received by the Board, but only £2,222 18s. 6d. has been actually expended to 31st March, although contracts have been accepted, and liabilities incurred to a very much larger amount.

At the present time there are sixty schools opened under the control of the Board, of which sixteen are conducted on the half time principle; and the number of pupils attending by last return, was 1,870 boys and 1,415 girls, total 3,285, being 226 in excess of last year’s attendance. In the management of them, there are engaged 47 head teachers, 29 assistants, and 14 pupil teachers, being an increase of 13 in the staff of teachers since last report. It is proposed to open twelve other schools so soon as suitable buildings can be erected, and eligible teachers obtained. The twelve new schools include—

Te Aro,
River Cliff,
Waitotara,
Brunswick,
Morrison’s Bush, Wairarapa
Mauriceville

Bonny Glen Junction, Rangitikei,
Cluny, Turakina Valley,
Kai Iwi,
Woodside, Wairarapa,
Gladstone
Opaki

In addition to which, new schools are now being substituted for the old school buildings at Featherston, Greytown, Carterton, Taratahi, Wanganui, Masterton, Makara, Ohariu, Foxton, Turakina, and Wharekaka; and it is further proposed, if funds will permit, to erect schools at such places as Wairoa, Kaikopupu, and others, where buildings are rented temporarily by the Board, but of which they may be dispossessed at short notice.

The present aggregate salaries of all the various teachers amount to £8,305 per annum, being £937 in excess of last year, but this will be considerably increased when the various new schools are opened.

One item of expenditure during the past financial year has been £469 16s. 4d., for rent of buildings used for school purposes, and allowance to teachers for rent, in lieu of residences. This, it is hoped, will be obviated in future, by the erection of the proposed buildings, as enumerated above, and residences for all head teachers of the various schools.

In the Castle Point District, no fixed school has as yet been established, owing to the sparsely scattered population, but an itinerant master, Mr. Vincent, has been engaged in the District for the post of master; and it is intended by the Board to erect a school with sufficient accommodation for boarders, so soon as a suitable site can be procured and one which will suit the general convenience of the District.

I have, &c.,

A. DE B. BRANDON,
Chairman to the Wellington Education Board.

His Honor the Superintendent,
Wellington.