STUDENTS OVERPAID.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19125, 17 September 1925, Page 8

STUDENTS OVERPAID.

AMOUNT OF £6OO INVOLVED/ REGULATION NOT NOTED. BOARD REPRIMANDS OFFICIAL. The grievance of the Auckland Training College students at the sudden reduc- • tion of their salaries was discussed by the Auckland Education Board yesterday. The chairman, Mr. A. Burns, said he was not aware of the fact that the students had been overpaid until after they had been called upon to refund the money. Why the overpayment had been made he did not know. There were four boards in New Zealand, and the Auckland board was the only one that had overlooked the new regulations. The secretary explained that no note had been taken in the treasury department of the board that the regulations made at the beginning of last year became operative in 12 months. Pay-sheets were regularly sent to the Education Department, and the mistake had been discovered after three pay-sheets had been sent. Tho overpayment bad then been continued for another month because a protest had been made to the department and the principal of the Training College had supported it, Mr. Burns said it had been suggested that the students should be allowed to make the refund when they obtained permanent positions. However, thfn audit inspectors would bo examining the books before that time and would object when they found that £6OO or £7OO had been paid, away illegally. This was equal to £4 13s for each student. The board discussed the matter in committee, and on resuming it was reported that it had ascertained the cause of the mistake and reprimanded the official concerned.