THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2928, 27 April 1910, Page 10

THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

WITHDRAWAL OF CAPITATION GRANTS. DISCUSSION BY THE EDUCATION BOARD. The subject of the withdrawal by the Education Department of capitation allowances to school committees and protests against the withdrawal was again brought up at the meeting of the Education Board on the 21st. It was mentioned that one committee requested the board to make good the loss sustained by the withdrawal of the grant. The Chairman moved as follows:—"Re requests from committees that the 9d pear head held back by the department be made up by a contribution from the board. That the letters of the committees be received, and that the board expresses its -deep regret that it has no funds from which such payment could be made." The Rev. Mr Fraser, in seconding the motion, said the applioation made to _ the boaaxl was largely promoted by the Minister, who, discovering that some boards had more funds than others, had apparently thought it would be a good thing to put his finger upon the board's finances, and that committees should be sent upon a plundering expedition and deplete the resources of the boards and render them unable to fulfil their functions in other 'respects. He (the speaker) had received from the chairman of the Wanganui Schools Committees' Association information .as to the association's action in the matter, and as it supported the action of the Otago Board he thought he might be permitted to refer to it. The association had drawn up a petition which it was sending to the school committees in the Wanganui province, and was a request to the Speaker and members of Parliament to restore the capitation grant. It was as follows: "That as the reduction in the building maintenance grants paid to the Education Board and in the special capitation grant to school committees of 9d per head is seriousW prejudicial to the future education of the young people of the Dominion, provision be made to have both these grants reinstated to at least their original amounts." He thought that was a move in

also proposed to submit tih*» following resolution to all meetings of householders: " This meeting of householders wishes to protest against the action of the Government in reducing the building maintenance grants to Education Boards, and also the special capitation grant of 9d per head to school committees." . The motion moved by the chairman was carried.