BIG EXPENDITURE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 50, 28 February 1935, Page 9

BIG EXPENDITURE.

MOUNT ALBERT GRAMMAR

SCHOOL

RELIEF WORK COMPLETED.

Surprise that £39,914 had heen spent on the Mount Albert Grammar school grounds in relief work was expressed by members of the Auckland Grammar School Board yesterday, when the secretary, Mr. C. G. Tisdall, asked what value should be placed on the improvements for the purposes of the board's returns. Improvements were carried out by relief workers from May, 1931, until the beginning of this month, when work was discontinued, and the total spent was nearly £40,000. The secretary said he had to make a return to the Government as to the value of the various properties held by the board. He wanted to know the value of the work done on the grounds. "I think a fair estimate of the increase in value would be £10,000,'" said the chairman, Professor A. P. W. Thomas. _ , Mr. A. St. Clair Brown: It cost £40,000 to fix up this ground, and we have to tell people that we have no money -for a hostel. We spend, £40,000 on work that is obviously worth only £10,000. Professor Thomas: The money was spent in the relief of unemployment. Mr. Brown: Then it could have been spent in a much more useful way. The secretary was instructed to state in his returns that the work was worth £10,000.