The Education Board Of The District Of North Canterbury has jurisdiction over the counties of Kaikoura, Amuri, Cheviot, Ashley, Akaroa, Selwyn, and Ashburton, and embraces the whole of the country between the Rangitata and Clarence rivers. The members of the Board are (1902): Messrs D. Buddo, M.H.R. (chairman), A. W. Adams, M. Dalziel, junior, C. A. Hardy, D. McMillan, junior, H. W. Peryman, J. Rennie, J. L. Scott, and T. S. Weston. At the close of the first complete year of the operations of the board as constituted under the Education Act, 1877, there were 106 district schools and four aided schools having 13,647 scholars on the roll, with an average attendance of 10,076. At the end of the year 1900, the numbers stood, 184 district schools and eighteen aided schools, making a total of 202 schools, with 19,850 scholars on the roll, the average attendance for the quarter ending December 31st, 1900, being 16,750. The average attendance for the year 1878 was 73.83 of the number on the roll, which steadily increased till the close of 1897, when the percentage stood at 85.05. The highest roll number was attained at the end of 1895, when it stood at 21,368. The salaries paid for the year 1878 amounted to £31,919, and in 1900 to £52,320, while the expenditure on incidentals had increased from £6276 to £6669. The number of teachers in the Board's service at the end of the year 1900, exclusive of 44 sewing mistresses, was 494, made up as follows: Heads of schools or departments, or in sole charge, 142 males and 86 females; assistants, 37 males and 121 females; pupil-teachers, 21 males and 87 females. At the annual examination of pupil-teachers, 90 out of 103 who presented themselves passed their examinations, only thirteen failing. The number of students in training at the Normal School, under the control of the Board, with Mr. E. Watkins, B.A. as principal, was forty-two (including nine of the second year); of these fifteen were males and twenty-seven females. Of the twenty-two students who entered for the matriculation examination, twenty passed. Manual training (woodwork) classes, under Mr. F. W. Sandford, have been conducted at Christchurch, Lyttelton, and Leeston, while arrangements have recently been made to have similar instruction given at Ashburton. The teachers' classes in military drill inaugurated by the Board towards the end of the year 1900, have been attended by a large number of masters. The schools throughout the district are annually examined and inspected, the Board's inspectors being Messrs L. B. Wood, M.A., W. J. Anderson, LL.D., and T. Ritchie, B.A. The offices and board-room are situated in the Normal School building, Cranmer Square, Mr. H. C. Lane being secretary, and Mr. C. Allard treasurer.

Mr. Henry Christopher Lane, Secretary of the North Canterbury Education Board, was born in 1859, is the son of the late Mr. John Lane, of Broom Court, Warwickshire, and was educated at the Stratford-on-Avon Grammar School and Denstone College, Staffordshire. In 1875, for the purpose of acquiring a knowledge of German, Mr. Lane commenced a course of study at the Knaben Institute, Heidelberg, conducted by Dr. Klose. Returning to England at the end of the following year, he was articled to Messrs. Gough and Son, merchants. Birmingham, with whom he remained for about four years. In 1881, supported by his father in the conviction that no country offered fairer prospects than did New Zealand, his departure for this Colony was determined on. Though originally booked for Wellington as the best-known centre, Mr. Lane, on the advice of a fellow-passenger, decided to first try his fortunes at Christchurch, where he speedily secured an engagement as accountant. After holding this position for about five years, he entered the office of the Permanent Investment and Loan Association of Canterbury, where he remained for a similar period. In January, 1893, Mr. Lane was selected from a large number of applicants for appointment as assistant secretary to the Education Board, and on the death of Mr. J. V. Colborne-Veel in 1895, was promoted to the position he now holds. Mr. Lane was married in 1885 to Mdlle. Baudoin, a French lady whom he first met at his parents' residence in Warwickshire, and who for fourteen years held the position of teacher of French and German at the Christchurch Girls' High School. Mrs Lane died in March, 1902.

Mr. Charles Allard, Treasurer to the North Canterbury Education Board, was born in Essex, England, in 1857, was brought to Lyttelton by the ship “Victory” in 1859 by his parents, educated at St. Michael's school, Christchurch, and entered the service of the board in 1873 as a junior. He was promoted to be clerk in 1883, became chief clerk, and in 1895 was appointed to his present position. Mr. Allard was married in 1883 to a daughter of Mr. R. Wyatt of Christchurch, and has three sons and two daughters.

Mr. Peter Emil Schmidt, Architect to the North Canterbury Board of Education, halls from Germany, where he was born in 1845. He received part of his early education in his native land, and after his arrival in Lyttelton in 1858, completed his school course in Christchurch. Mr. Schmidt served his time as a carpenter and for some years was employed by Mr. J. C. Maddison, F.R.I.B.A., as clerk of works. It was during this time that he gained most of his architectural experience, having the oversight of the erection of a good many important buildings, including the Kalapol Factory, Maling's, Chrystall's, Ballantyne's, Mason Struthers', and others. Mr. Schmidt received his present appointment in 1887. He is a member of the Masonic Order, S.C., and of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, attached to the Christchurch lodge.

Wrigglesworth and Binns, photo.
Mr. P. E. Schmidt.

Dr. William John Anderson, M.A., LL.D., Inspector of Schools under the North Canterbury Board of Education, hails from the North of Ireland, where he was born in 1854. Dr. Anderson was educated at Queen's College, Belfast, one of the colleges of the Queen's University, in Ireland, now, with a widened constitution, the Royal University of Ireland. He gained his degree of Master of Arts in 1877, taking first-class honours in classics, graduated in another faculty as an LL.B. in 1880, and two years later received the degree of Doctor of Laws from his old University. Dr Anderson began his scholastic career as a visiting master in secondary schools, taking special subjects, principally classics. Subsequently, he was placed in charge of the secondary department of the Sullivan schools at Holywood, a seaside suburb of Belfast, on the shores of the Lough. From this position he was appointed second master at Rockhampton Grammar School, and arrived in Queensland in the early part of 1881 to take up the duties of that position. Three and a half years later Dr. Anderson was appointed inspector of schools under the South Canterbury page 173 Board of Education, and arrived in the Colony in 1884. Towards the close of 1886 he succeeded to a vacancy in the North Canterbury inspectorate and has since occupied the position then obtained. Dr. Anderson married, in 1885, an Australian lady, but her sudden death one year later brought his short married life to a premature close. For a number of years Dr. Anderson has taken a considerable interest in the education of girls in household duties, and since its institution in 1893 has been an active member of the committee of management of the Christchurch School of Domestic Instruction.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Dr. W. J. Anderson.

Mr. Thomas Ritchie, B.A., Inspector or Schools for the North Canterbury Board of Education, was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1844. Mr. Ritchie attended several national schools, and subsequently received private tuition with a view to his entering on a University course. He commenced his career as a teacher in the Irish national schools, and was selected in 1868 for service under the Queensland Board of Education. Mr. Ritchie landed in Queensland in the early part of 1869, and during his residence there of seven years he was headmaster of several schools. He settled in Canterbury in 1876, and joined the Canterbury Board of Education as master at West Oxford school. Mr. Ritchie was transferred to Opawa, where he remained for twelve years, and was appointed inspector under the North Canterbury Board in 1893. Whilst he had charge of the Opawa school, he entered upon a course of study at Canterbury College, and graduated B.A., in 1887. He has always been interested in athletics, and for some time was and active member of the Pioneer Bicycle Club. He was married in 1868 to a daughter of Mr. John Clarke, of Beragh, County Tyrone, Ireland, and has four daughters living.

Standish and Preece, photo.
Mr. T. Ritchie.

Mr. Lawrence Berry Wood, M.A., Inspector of Schools for the North Canterbury Board of Education, was born at Peebles, Scotland, in 1855, and educated at the Burgh school of his native town, at the Royal High School of Edinburgh, and at the Edinburgh University, where he early distinguished himself in arts and science. He took his M.A. degree in 1877, graduating with first-class honours in mathematics and physical science. Mr. Wood held a student teachership in the Piecardy Place School, and gained experience as a teacher in the Park School, Glasgow, under Dr. Collier, and subsequently at the Irvine Academy in Ayrshire, Arriving at Port Chalmers in 1881 per ship “Dunedin,” Mr. Wood was appointed rector of the Port Chalmers District High School, which position he held for nearly four years. He was appointed inspector under the North Canterbury Board of Education in July, 1885. As an undergraduate at Edinburgh, Mr. Wood took a prominent part in athletics, principally in cricket, golf, and Rugby football, and played for the University for three seasons. He now confines his outdoor recreation almost entirely to the golf-links and bowling-green. A break-down in his health led to coming to the Antipodes, and the change has proved highly beneficial to him.

Mr. L. B. Wood.

Mr. Frederick William Sandford, Manual Instructor to the North Canterbury Board of Education and Instructor in Carpentry at Christ's College and Grammar School, was born in 1852 in Birmingham, England, and is the son of Mr. John Sandford, of Heathcote Valley. He was educated at public schools and at Mr. McPherson's school at Lyttenton, and was brought up as a carpenter and joiner by his father. He served an apprenticeship of three years to organ building under Mr. E. H. Jenkins, of Christchurch, and since 1884 has engaged in that trade on his own account. Among the organs erected by him was the one in the Dunedin Exhibition of 1890, and now in St. Marry's Church, in which work he was associated with Mr. H. Parson of Armagh Street, as also the organs at St. Mark's, Opawa, and Holy Trinity, Greymouth. Subsequently, Mr. Sandford erected the organ for the Temple of Truth, St. Saviour's at Lyttelton, St. Matthew's at St. Albans, and St. Mary's at Springston, the Free Methodist church at Addington, and the Catholic church at Temuka. He was appointed to Christ's College in 1889, and subsequently to the Board of Education. At the Normal School there is a special room fitted up for technical classes which are held on Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons for children attending various schools, an evening lecture being delivered by Mr. Sandford to teachers. Mr. Sandford is a member of the Manchester Unity of Oddfollows, with which he has been connected since 1872, being attached to Lodge “Perseverance,” Woolston, in which he has passed the various chairs, and is a P.P.G.M. of the Order. As an old volunteer, he joined No. 2 Engineers in 1869, and now is Captain of the Christchurch City Guards. For two years Captain Sandford was adjutant of the battalion. He is a good rifle shot, and gained the Challenge Cup for two years in succession. Mr. Sandford was married in 1875 to a daughter of the late Mr. Alfred Clarke, of Kalapoi, an old settler, and has one son and one daughter.

Mr. William Herbert Yates, Assistant Instructor at the Normal School and Assistant Instructor in Carpentry at Christ's College, was born in Warwickshire page 174 in 1868. He was educated in Liverpool where he was brought up to mercantile life, and came to the Colony in 1893. Joining Mr. Sandford, he gained experience in the art of technical instruction, to which he devoted himself and was appointed assistant instructor at Christ's College in 1895. He is a member of the Loyal Perseverance Lodge of Oddfellows, and has had considerable volunteer experience, having served ten years in the Liverpool Rifle Brigade, in which he held the rank of sergeant for five years; in 1894 he became a member of the Christchurch City Guards.