The School Commissioners For The Canterbury Provincial District, for 1901, were: Messrs S. Weetman (chairman), W. D. Howell, J. Rennie, Hon. W. Rolleston, and D. Buddo, M.H.R. The commissioners appointed by the Government are Messrs. Weetman, Rennie and Hon. W. Rolleston; Mr. Buddo representing the North Canterbury, and Mr. Howell the South Canterbury Board of Education. This body administers the very valuable and extensive education reserves throughout Canterbury, the revenue from which is devoted to the purposes of primary education only. The net divisible revenue in 1900 amounted to £15,800. The office of the commissioners page 172 is situated in the provincial Government Buildings in Durham Street. Mr. Pitman, steward of education reserves, pays an annual visit of inspection to the various properties throughout the district.

Mr. Henry Herbert Pitman, Steward of Education Reserves for the Canterbury Provincial District, comes of an old Devonshire family, and was born in Somersetshire, England, in 1847. Educated at Taunton, Mr. Pitman arrived in Lyttelton, per ship. “British Empire,” in 1864, and was for many years engaged in managing a sheep-station in South Canterbury. He was appointed to the office he now holds in July, 1878. Mr. Pitman is a Fellow of Christ's College, a Christchurch Church Property Trustee, and a member of the Clergy Pension Board. He was married in 1880 to a daughter of Mr. Thierens, late Provost Marshal of British Guiana, and has two sons and a daughter.