Distribution of Building Vote.

Putting both of these votes together and adding receipts of the Board not derived from Government, we find that Westland, with 3,143 scholars, received £18,329 for educational purposes during the year, while South Canterbury with 3,506 scholars received only £15,800, Wanganui with 4994 scholars, received only £19,403, and Southland, with 4000 scholars received but £22,012. The Government cannot, therefore, fairly be blamed for the present deplorable condition of Educational finances in Westland.

Coming to the teaching staff in the Hokitika schools, we find that so far from there being any lavish extravagance in the number, or salaries of, teachers, the staff is less than that of any other State School of similar size in Victoria or Now Zealand, while the teachers are no better paid than they would be if employed elsewhere in the colony, and are not so well paid as they would be if employed in many of the other school districts of either of these Islands. Omitting pupil teachers (who are not employed in some of the school districts in New Zealand, who are employed, but not paid in others, and half of whom are paid and the remaining half unpaid, in Victoria, and who in all cases everywhere receive but a very small remuneration for their services) the following are found to constitute the staffs of adult teachers in schools similar in size page 3 to the Hokitika School, in Victoria and New Zealand respectively:—