EDUCATION FINANCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 750, 24 February 1910, Page 4

EDUCATION FINANCE.

; THE CLIPPED GRANTS, IfON. mr/fowlds explains. MAINTENANCE MAT BE INCREASED. Vif : :i^. ; -tIM gmnt'-'for<wl>and-ing.^chools—which-' hRs 'becn"freely dis- ;/ subject brought IgSbefors ' ! Education;/(tho vdep'u-' /Edii-; • fSiffar.-tie^bbaTd'epuid'fc^ the.'vv ; 6to r -Wfts , !^hilsfc>"thetlrt /J voto'' had .Tayeraged by - yearctbe:'value?'crfV,tlio'; ' [." ; r:/:: it had' neyer/ OMUrred lo ithe board, that ■' .grai*t ;wouid . fejf bo/' •redupedi^Hp 5 • Ibldybuiidiiißs;, for *1909; TfaS: >332S|7i"i oriirabuiUing,;! i||:fi&lps:ith^; , M/dowiVaisl't jiat j ; : [^iuir^j'ips^,^ejbpaid ; . ': solvent r; I V-;^.S , co'MdVi6t^"]b'ev^eihiedVtliatfj: the.jSouth-' Island : >b«ards -had for tho i ||f tap3tVptot ; ;'been< for;; Iff';' R^?,tli'e'lirftyi of, sites -than .thf/ North/Isiand; p'oli libSrßs;': and^paiticularly^;^^tbß.:WeUinßtpn- ! ; Hi->y; : Position of tho Wellington Board t/KSfi: Sii»ce ;Bpari'/had-:: fjyiliddjte'i buyj ; sjtps. costbg :'qvejr; : ;J!ll,(lop//, teftf-wliieli ! 'only 'a pprtioil had. :be«n tpf linded; sS^irto!: Visft iesul t ; . K.t;of ■ the; great;-inoraase. in :the;way.. oi.V»ftei'iiUirbments ;'tho';board-"t'didayv'foUn(d ( ' itielf ■ ' r-'.'Mfould: bo a fair claim on tho ' Public Kvl/i-Wbtlis' Departpient •to :;ast :'it; ;tp :.fefiind': fi"4*j.tp':: the .'board Uha.-differenco:; betwePn/.the . and; the moneys ?received iti y as} far: back l as .seven, •Jp/yeaisj :ag0..../ln conclusion?:Mr.r',Lee .held pf.ithat ;the,;board should get further assist(fiard * tteidißereiicphlKtweitf/thoi; ■ | * vote.] " 1 i<s; nt~ 1 isit p Mtt JG W. jlitken said ithat'Str hadp.;;jalways;' been' - repbgnised'iby.:.-ithewDapaife : |;i^eUjnianaged^d:c?i^in;/.the^!itter;'.6f, K:j; that Ippint he, -that',-thi^y':had made.: , oat a good «( ' " - - ■r" p^''l^iilW;'^etr<^':*to>,tlieifact'-'that'/the ; iha'd/recoiTed- jjip; -trarning 1 : that» the;: |§/;:voto Iwasv'gbing' to'.be'redfl'ceo. : Ro';iSdicaT |-ijskiioa;.j ofr^.tho.:' ground^: onfwhichy fiici/'lrate 1 ' reduced had .been give-n. - "If rsS? • accunnt.offaultj; "admijiistra^' sHbtald '.bp; ma'dfyqw'tq To j;tHe :board i '£ 1 j thb' | ! MINISTER'S'REPLY. • thing/to; be • i t k'e / p osi ti ono f to curt ail;o r,. rcdu&e-; mrao7.V\flilcli, .tras., 'formerly/' ti ajlable :,'r«aark&d"#orf. in': tb -ihe: that k ; , vbo .'.fty l rcmore a > mis:.the/;- ; d!rection; ; *in £ , hl 4.cartaitment had taken place out. that ? grant - had;'.'not been' -re* ; if/vfvl6 < meet • tbem if it. had ■ wisely. paidwo it The Department was in a , I^'t-fcKe L » amounfc'f vbeen,; and• was.>being,'.■ appropri- ; v STiffieieiit vfor • i l?/ v; ' nad. manv'-schools and ' maintain-ajid^^Rebuild ref6rrin^;t9^Cthe'/NatiVe |rf case s m- isolated fdistricts, • sol' that- the fe/»,t^ e : i'yerage-icost'i; theJaverage-'agf^of' l ■'thfli in'airife'h-' ! fe.hw:Wen-alWi^ithe-boaT&:so'tot pint;' <Jort'it-to: muiitain"th'«re'sii- ■ ; aird lie; wotfld. ti..-:'!>nnderttlKO to; say / (hat the -'dGpartmental ■in just- a« ( .e*xl, a-sta-io V ■' The ::•. amoniit 5 th«, money;-J# been 'jinidici'. : 1 ronsly.expendei.' "• • ■ [ 1 A Peculiar Situation i TOtS..:3is;a'mater:ifiMt;:,' ti'-. °"had - sp'ent -moro 1 fes'"?^ 50 ; thp; amonht-Sv'hio'h'., paid, to'them; for 'rebuildinV,;the 'their;.irorks ~ in .v-'ay. ougbt to. hard a ■ fe^^.MMwntiar.^m l itefnjaK ! j;:/-;-/.amount: b«p.-3top'ped-'forUho ' ; pi ;Spearly!/speitf!; fr-f--:sWs^V l %.-:i'*buildiM ;than J -a;ny ! -bther.'' J bo*rd , , '' , pg;:;tn«'.;fnh<M;:nrpperly;;;:;./::y;i;.;sV-;ir t;:. : «aid- : h'e recbghised. .that th«. I /bpaid iin 1a- different poaiHon t from fe®f^ ; !»Mds'ln-'the mattpf.vflf.-'hbffpwfr ifffi j: and i';'m(dnten<rae£rfr ,; . 'oredit.. baia!iob. would be ,found - ot'oYer" ir ; .,:•>t : /i^Tj^^ • :'oom». froih'?;;^::>>:;;;--,i;^; f-:- '; . %£<ii Mr;) Powlds, 'dealingiVith;ith«:;qnStion ; • :;6it^/said:;it.h?M ;wll';lcnoiJta : 'that;: muphj.had-;been|spentiin-that direo-. ; itioii, for. instance,..at^PetOM.,;The?!)&-'• i L-L- partment.ihad rt-sistcd s&s" far.!'as : :it Jwas , p.?. able,/.but :.ultitnatialy, had::b,' ; givp -way, & ;■: thwv, i , was ianother;isit«. , :'"/'S/irf; i" ".'My.':Tile: Would tho: people have'been : > '• i . mised-the people so mush Howards-the ■' ;v: cost—.of. tho ate,, and that wss'the.be-- ■ . ginninj; of: the trouble.; r,: * ' - to-iay/thatithe 1 partinen much . tba ; board t/'a; and' tho - people. combined iit was .a 1 Vor>' : , &■ difficult.' matter: for - a"- Minister . to resist;* .' piylni.regardtto'tho':cpmplatnt:-as r t<);tho late" I ''boards ttiH-Teferoncp. jlffl;>\tp r the :new;.pbCT ';fo;';grants'i''the f Jpi'answerhVas' that.' the Department oould : 'the eduction been-'-, 1 : .-.. .-House. ■;:■'/,■': '■-,;i'r: ::

i Simply'# Matter of Revenue. > [i?MS i that- tW'tiatural . f ;»:'/^in?r«a»vih!;'the''cost: of Jthe'Educatioii.fle'paittent}oT!:tW9,y«ar^^thbnt'anything. ft fulfil ■" <%w*. yJee}wlßji''V reveiiuje/ fe/ißneh-:» ' lare^increase;ii^anv.:oni.Depsj-t-; '• •' mept MfnW npt.bej'aeeestidwithout ibjnr i" .'effort•'beißj'n*<l« t's'rednce-the.'aitioutif. Iv '-'AfiHfe amount* that 'coul.d bercaueed-hy 'fcii'luSii&t ; ofct'J' notes ■:fram'' tte ;• A'ppropriS tion A.«t ;m very., small, . he", had ;little. oleic*.' As an average -of only 55 .per, cent, of the.. moneys" granted; to -.boards. Krebuilding,haid' bcon..spent, it. had. seemed'to' Mm" th&f/tkere would be; no . ham to.edncatipni-.bj;;droppingVfor.Cthe, !?■'; rear the" portion which ' went • for ' re-'-s building - Mr. I;e« i But 'our board is ' punished be-' fe ■; cans# ;it : h#9' spehtythe 'money: Voted to K jt year by year g; Mr. Fowlda said he had no doubt but S::?/.'.ti'iiti-the7^bo»rd : -vwohld''- : be'-''ablc'.'.tb7:-i)aH through..;' Seeing that the; board-! -had! ?.-!'spent nearly up to the full ■ amount voted, fe-fiwjt meant' ttat/lt'had 'its>ebui!din^'well' fc V.np.i,t« date,'. 1 and : ■ thnt -work of;. its ' kind. l#;Lfcr,".the - next .'year'ior ..two ' migbt bo 'able' l::v,.sto "stand--oror until , funds r«cuperated, deficiency; arose- from heavy-

i :ago,-.' it would yto :hold him responsible. 'expenditure' :'on ' sites '.was j'-/S but'"that, also

held good to' some extent in the. case of boards'. in • the'''• South l lsland,. beoause it ;was-\tli6invariable:'-rule tKat' boards .'had to ftnd'bnlf the cost.'.-That wns a condition: which 'must beinsistediipon, otherwise there would be' no inducement to boards to -be economical or, to Sep that full:-valno was; l obtained for-the amount t6 v _ba" expended;;' His'i'critioism on' that point.' alSo applied; to. the contention that when-the' /Department' had approved of the plans it should pay the full, amount 'pf, the' tepder, accepted,/ jln .that connection The ': might point ' out' tnat' "rings" were not unknown,,>l6o that", the De"plirtment 'had^'DO l . right .to» revise - ten-' dors.' ' : ' I'.-,'

...Boards and their Responsibilities. ;>iir." Aitken:,We.:would-, give you :that yon -i -give > us' the '.full amount .of.: the. tender. - j-'"'; '■:' :; ' IJowlds.; (amid laughter) ~ sjii'tl'tho .DepartHient J 3idvnpt'" , Vis!! Wencfoa'ch -oil, <thc, bo ijrd's 'fwictiphsV!. cjHft' could-.i.assufe the, 'deputation Vnat the did 'bot .want to-.centralise-or -take away tlio powers of- boards,"-/i, it Vl wanted. to .leave I'theift sbTOC.,.^ptey:pf 1 ■ " > H .!Mr.::Aitto:>But; -yo.ii -'f an't {trust them.' ip>MK;Poifltl!i,'';in r De'pa*tment;>c6uld trust; the but \shOTemnst,-be snperyisipni'./.'lf'.theboards' raised-money , and were;J'tsponsible to tlie :oeoplO' li'lio,, subscribed -it, - he':. would be. ,wi)ling ',tb''^y'o l .ihemr'full*control: over: j spoh 1 matters,S but, 'as 1 tliey spent t nwnpy ; : \found;' /'body, ■ the ! .TOdy-:; I ..wMch^-fdund¥ : the / money, must 1 hartthU;':^jjoifer:^of .: .; supervision: ',T-hei':G6yernii.ent }.fcrant'&:. TOro'iJiot :.mado .on an : arbiti-ary /for-,/the scale had 'been atetsdllvf^r;^ns,ultataon.':with the ■ Publicaiiid ■ vaiicd.-!:g*-'-was.. p triets * iri.side' the scale.- •>*'"'** ,v,

,1- Mr;. Aitken;, But /in: this: district, for. instance," -very costly. 'Fowlds ipbin fed '.Jout^ihat, he' recognised that tho ; ;case,,ibuti he. ; .c'ourd not : bpgin : tb.:inate'i eiceptions..: It. was possible :that ■ some ..time in .the. future something' wight*: be'-done'.* 1 "' The mGiii''.point, Ipravpr,; (Was ithat- iho. mmoneyy y idlotted: by one 'BtfclifoxceJitibni^'.Just>b^6rV'the i| clo'so of' financial Aett was :.a flnal ; ai'6tribTinotf !: o'ttt''of'the vow. on: the * ofi< schools destroy'ed. bj. fire.. '-ft: ■ i ■ All Tbat cCould. Be Done. '.'. ■ •

-'■B;-tlitte i /#ere'-' : there .bp - distribution .on the. maihteuancp;:vote ; before -the'end' of the .financial .year.-;-It; could; not,* be ' a ./very: largo sumV : but thore . might -be : a ! ,li.tpe» ■•:-¥he,..:Depa^^enfc'had'; been;' mak- . basis-laid down ' Sby-the/Parliameritafy' ponimitte® in" 1963, f year fell ! "a»-little :sUbrt' , bf; th"it';baiisT , ].bnt it was ■ vroui'd > ;I»?s6ufficiPntt:to fbrirfg-V ■ •• the lyandarddaid-Wown,.' and ithat; , raS' ; .the'-.ttbstHhaH:/c6«ld'',l)6 done;this 1 r y^r<S.:Tlioy:questipO!i : bf;stbe;?rebuildingi vote -pould' only be.-t'dealt.'.withj when.:tho: 'year,";when' he : hoped •tfibf revenae .'would tiy thatitime liave siifnciicntly recovered i '•<Mt';it;.^Mkl)e^i|^ted;;u'Biiw : ;dtaH > ; cass..of b'uild--1 ; iiigs' destroyed; by the -Department found! jainpugiji gij: lfeis;'thp;-iamc>'nn&paid>o : yOr>to." .The Department did r.ot. expect the ; : boards tb.-;rtM.ld-;/:schobls'::'unfoß.;' ,the'y :fbr 'that ; mr'."tt?s.'je«rr: 'b Sfhat : A,sp&t':hraß nbtl.'a ,yery;-.serious 'matter!:, il: many. ol(l buildings were being.continued;beyond 'the' ageitit Vhi(jh : the: boards' hadilkenVpaid-for. rebuilding" ! ttnd;tb: that'eite:ntithe;b"pards; gained; an 'advantaße. ' "!. can't-p'ay out money Thieh ,I;;haVp ; that ;coiic(>fned: r i£'\^Khaye' , %'iemain': as' :it is at.^r S