PUBLIC OPINION

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12194, 20 July 1925, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS. A.M.H.—Much too long and much too controversial. Correspondents must observe a reasonable brevity. “Keri-Keri."—Has already appeared in a contemporary. #r ßendoo. Prefer not to take th* responsibility of advising you. - Consult a solicitor. SCHOOL CAPITATION AND COMMITTEES (To the Editor, “N.Z. Times.”) Sir —.Looking through your report of the deputation which waited yesterday upon the Minister for Education on the vexed question of inadequate capitation grants for incidental expenses of school committees, I am desirous of making the following correction. It would seem to anyone reading the report that I had made a special attack on the board’s auditor. May I for the information of v-iur leaders Sit down the real facts as stated yesterday. Having drawn attention to a schedule of costs which committees are expected to meet out of the capitation grants, I proceeded to show that in the case of the Miramar South School the amount granted would not meet the first two items, cleaning and fuel. As a consequence of this our bal-ance-sheet last year when presented for audit revealed a debit to our general account of £67. The second part of the schedule of costs, however, can only be met out of money granted by the hoard, provided there is a surplus after the items in schedule “A” have been met; so say the regulations. Acting strictly on these regulations I pointed out the auditor had removed from our general account all items for which any excuse could he found for placing them against our special account. The 6ouroe of revenue for the special account is voluntary subscriptions, and proceeds from entertainments organised by the committee for the purpose of* beautifying and improving school grounds. When all these item* for which any excuse, could he found had been removed there still remained a deficit of £26. Now it is here where I am incorrectly reported. I pointed out that by regulation the auditor could not pass a debit balance to our account so long as we hold funds in our special account. He had to make a balance much on the same way as the schoolboy does under these circumstances, by removing a credit from our other account to the same amount to wipe out the debit. I emphasised the fact that we had no quarrel with the auditor, who was given no option in the matter, but contended that this deficit, incurred on expenses which were a legitimate ijharge against the Education Department, ehould he met by an increased grant to the committee, and l further pointed out that the committees represented there were not prepared to go on raising money for special purposes, if, after doing so, the money is to be appropriated to meet these items which it. is the duty of the department to meet.

I would nk your readers interested in this question not to jump to _ the conclusion that because the Minister pointed out that country schools were able to manage and accumulate credit that we are over extravagant in the city schools. Investigation would show that the following facts are responsible for this: —Some country sohools are supplied with wood free by nearby farmers. whilst at some country schools the children clean the school themselveß. That these methods are impracticable in the towns need not be stated. —I am, etc., W. BROMLEY. Miramar, July 18th, 1925.