SCHOOL SUBSIDIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10180, 15 June 1911, Page 3

SCHOOL SUBSIDIES.

! DEPARTMENT DECLINES TO PAY ; FOR BATHS. AN APPEAL BY NORTH LIXWOOD. SUBSIDIES OX"DJSTRJC.I' HIGH SCHOOLS DISCUSSED. The North Lin wood School Committee asked the Minister of Education, during his visit to the school to-day, for a subsidy on local contributions towards the cost of a swimming bath, and the Minister, in declining the request, pointed out tiie direction in which all committees would have to look for help in such mat lens. The request was made by .Mr '<. Milne, a member of the committee, who said that the residents had done remarkably well in raising money for the improvement of the school grounds, and it was now desired to build a bath in the grounds for the instruction of the children in swimming. The Minister said that the committee had no bone of securing the subsidy. He himself had paid £SOO to put a bath in the grounds of the school that his children attended, and it could bo imagined that if there had been any likelihood of obtaining a subsidy in that case he would have been after it. He had also contributed towards baths for two other schools in the district, where a subsidy had been sought for two years, but the committees had been told emphatically that they had no chance of success. Jf the bath were to be erected as a Coronation memorial and the application tor a subsidy were made through the County Council, it would be forthcoming. A member of the committee stated that the County Council had another memorial in view, and therefore the bath could not be considered. The Minister, in reply to further questions-, said that there must be some limit to the number of Coronation memorials, and only one coui'd be subsidised in one district. They were going to cost the (jovernment now a great deal more than was anticipated, and if a fresh start bad to be made the scope of the memorial objects and the amount would be curtailed. Mr C. H. Opie, chairman of the Education Board, said that tho question of subsidies generally on funds' raised locally by school committees was ona of great interest to Canterbury, and action had been taken by the Kducation Board. West Christohureh District High School, for instance, received subsidies - The' Minister: That ought to he cut out. "" !

Mr Opie: Yes, but it is paid as the law stands. The Minister: it is a questionable point of Jaw. I took advice and accepted it. but rather unwisely I think, that it was competent to pay subsidies on district high .schools. j" think the advice was wrong, and, if so, the subsidies ought to he cut out. Mr Opie said that technical schools got subsidies and why riot primary schools. The .Minister said ihnt clearly Ihe Boards should subsidise anything that was to be subsidised, because* a great deal of the work done by the local fluids was work thai was intended to be done out of the money given to the Beards. Mr Opie said that the Hoard could never subsidise anything like the amount raised for, snv, » swimming bath.

j Mr Milne, reverting to the question | of n bath, said that the committee had £l7-"> in hand., and with a subsidy could have the bnth built for next season. The Minister indicated Mr Opie as i the person to be applied to, but Mr j Opie said that the Education Hoard | could not think of paying i,' 200. i The Minister, continuing, said that ' there was not the .slightest hope of ; the Government subsidising eontribu- ; tions to primary schools. In the first i place the Denartmont had its work j cut out to check sharp practices in | connection with subsidies now paid to I the Moard.s. | Mr Opio: That docs not apply to all Hoards. The Minister: Of eour-v, wo do not l pay the Hoards. The money is paid j through them. Mr Fowlds went on to I say that all sorls of 1 ricks were reI ported to the Department. Jn one case a committee promoting a concert had resolved to get certain printing done at a cost of 30s. l.ut the printer had said he would charge C.'3 and give the committee a contribution of 80s towards the funds. The committee had therefore got paid a subsidy wronsdy on I.be .10s subscrintion. and (ho J)e~ ; pariment had not found onl until the ! amount was paid. If there wore to be 'a subsiilv in conuoctiun \vilh primary ! schools it should be paid by ,1,0 ; Boards, which were on the spot and ■ better able to say whether the conlri- ; butinns were genuine and for genuine ! educational obiects. i _________„_____