WELLINGTON SCHOOL FUNDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11434, 26 July 1900, Page 5

WELLINGTON SCHOOL FUNDS

[BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Wednesday. At tho Education Board, the chairman, Mr. Blair, said the Board had a debit balance of £3936 for maintenance, and £1573 on the building account, with liabilities of £1974, a total on the wrong side of £7424. He referred to tho falling off in the attendance last quarter, being 380 less than the previous quarter, but he said he could not account for it. A discussion on this subject elicited various opinions as to the cause, the weather, the prevalence of holidays latterly, and the removal of children to Catholic and private schools, all being blamed. A motion was unanimously carried that the chairman bo authorised to draft a circular giving three months' notice of contemplated reductions in the teaching staff, and in certain salaries, and impressing upon committees and teachers the advisability of securing increased attendance at schools to obviate tho necessity for drastic measures. A report from tho Technical School Committee was adopted, regretting that in the absence of provision by the State for technical education, three months' notice would have to be given of the discontinuance of the cookery classes. Tho question of continuing other branches was postponed. A schedule was presented, showing that in all £88110s per annum was being paid to teachers in excess of tho scale allowance, and £1490 in excess of the necessary staff. Against this, 16 teachers were paid £335 too little. The Government has declined to give the Education Board the amount necessary (some £6000) to rebuild in brick the Thorndon school, recently burned down, but has allowed £4826 to replace it in wood.