GOVERNMENT GRANTS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1162, 24 June 1911, Page 7

GOVERNMENT GRANTS.

MR. FOWLDS AND A DEPUTATION. Replying on Tuesday evening to a de-1 putauoti which desired assistance in connection with the-rebuilding ol the Martou i/istnet iiigfi School bunding, the Minister tor Education (the ilon. G. Fowlds) said that every provision had been made lor rebuilding sotiools in the grants allotted to each education Board lor its own particular district, and ho was positive that tho amount allocated to the Wauganui Board was quite suficient for its wants if properly applied. The Education Board had been liberally dealt with by tho Government, and he could not see .his way to help in this matter, as it was within the board's power to rebuild schools as thev were needed. If tho board had misapplied tho funds to other works tho board was responsible to tho committees under its jurisdiction for this breach. The grants to tho boards were made on, a report submitted to tho House of Representatives in 1893, which was adopted. Mr. Purnell, speaking as a member of tho Wanganui Education Board, mentioned that the grant of £1100 was totally inadequato to rebuild and suitably maintain 187 schools and 105 residences. As far as (ho Wanganui Board was concerned, he. was sure that there had not been any extravagance, ft was quito unfair that the Department should expect boards to do all drainage works out of tho maintenance grant. Tho Wanganui Board had spout about .£IOOO on this work as required by (he Health Department. 'Ihe committee's report to the House in 1893 had been framed on a basis of the whole Dominion, and it might, not work out satisfactory to certain boards. As an instance at tho present time tho Wanganui Board was faced with the difficulty of rebuilding tho Marlon and Patca District High Schools. These works would cost about JMCOO, and it wns quito evident that the board would not be able to go on with them for several years.

■The Minister, in reply to a question ns to whether the Government' would grant .£2 for ,£l, as a special subsidy for rebuilding the school, said that it was never intended that the subsidy of .£ for .£ should apply to High School Committees but for secondary schools only. The Act would be amended in this direction in the near future; There was a probability that the grant to beards for rebuilding and maintenance would also bo greatly reduced.