EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 13054, 23 April 1910, Page 6

EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION.

CAPITATION GRANTS. Statement by Hon. Geo. Fowlds. li’er United Press association.) WELLINGTON, -nril 22. The Hon. Geo. Fowlds was seen.’to-day ,y a New Zealand Times reporter., with a lew to ascertaining what chance there was i the restoration of the grant , of 9d per ■ead of the average attendance, which was uiittod from the. Estimates last year. Tin. sinister stated that the position was that lie Estimates last year for the Education department showed an increase on the revibnsfyear of .£105,000, and In . face of ho restricted revenue it was quite imposible for him to get that additional amount oted. He had, therefore, to look around., d see in what directions economics could >e effected- without, impairing the efficiency f the education system. Much of' the exr. enditure of the-Education Department is sed- by .statute,, and, consequently, . cunot be interfered with,-except by., legislation.- For general administration expenses ae Education Boards- have a statutory ,-rant of £250 each, together with a captation of 11s 3d. per head of the averagettendance, and it is from this fund than he requirements of -the school committees -ould ordinarily be provided. It was iriginally supposed that the special grant n aid of committees would improve ..lie coition of those bodies to the extent of ho grant, but that has cerainly not hapensd for in some of the districts at any ate the Boards have cither cut down the allowances they, formerly made, or nave required the committees to do more in the .vay of upkeep of the school, buildings and :o on, than was previously required cf hem. In the meantime- the general fund ■f the Education Boards have increased by ;n amount more than, equivalent to the 0 the total amount of the special grant 'or committees. In short, the position had :omplctely changed since the special grant if 9d was first made, and the Minister’-, ontention was that it was quite .possible or the Boards, out of 11s 3d capitation aid to them to make the necessary -aPow;nces to. the school committees. It’.was to •e remembered.that th esnm in question /as under <65000, and that when .the acr mints last made up .at the end of . 908 the ordinary funds of the Boards were n credit .to the extent of about <£29,000. 1-egardiug the future, the Minister could :ot, of course, commit himself to any .atement as to what would-be done unt'l ho estimates for the year had been 0011idcred. The grant,of the special capitaion was never a satisfactory- method .of ealing with the finance ot t.he committees, or it was recognised that 9d per . head w.ij or sufficient to enable them to carry on heir functions. If any special grants-.wore o bo made ho was of opinion that it ought 0 be sufficient for the whole of the finance -f the committees, in which case a. reducion would have to be made in the capitaion paid to the Boards.