7

E.—2

. "The total expenditure of the year—viz., £3,946,317 —was met by— Bates ... ... ... ... £1,682,534 = 42-6 per cent. Grants, school fees, &c. ... ... ... 1,220,533 = 31-0 „ Loans ... ... ... ... 1,043,250 = 26-4 Total ... ... ... £3,946,317 100-0 "The expenditure on the maintenance of schools—viz., £2,054,473 —was defrayed from the following sources, viz.:— Bates ... ... ... ... £842,196 = 41-0 per cent. Grant ... ... ... ... 724,582 = 35-3 School fees, &c. ... ... ... 447,695 = 21-8 Other sources of school income ... ... 40,000 = 1-9 „ Total ... ... ... £2,054,473 100-0 " The cost of' maintenance' per child in average attendance was as follows: — England. London alone. 1. From ratepayers ... ... ... £0 17 6} £1 11 7 2. „ the children ... ... ... 0 9 5f 0 8 4f 3. „ endowments ... ... ... 0 0 1 0 0 0| 4. „ miscellaneous ... ... ... 0 0 6f 0 1 OJ--5. „ parliamentary grant ... ... 016 If 016 lOf Total ... ... ... £2 3 9£ £2 17 10f" The above does not include, as in the New Zealand calculation, the cost of scholarships and training of teachers, which in New Zealand was as follows :— Scholarships, say ... ... ... ... ... £0 1 6 Training, £7,740-=-69,8.43 ... ... ... ... 0 2 2f Total ... ... ... ... £0 3 8f In England the cost of administration (6-3 per cent.) by School Boards is not included under the heading " Maintenance." As School Boards in England correspond in a great measure to School Committees in New Zealand, and as the cost of School Committee management is included in the New Zealand calculation, allowance for this should be made in a comparison of the two systems. In England the following are the objects of expenditure included under " maintenance " —viz., " Salaries of teachers, books, repairs of furniture and buildings, lighting and warming." In New Zealand the returns of School Committees' expenses for 1883 show that at least 6d. per scholar had been expended, and this is included in the "maintenance " account. The comparison between England and New Zealand would stand somewhat as follows: — England,, per scholar ... ... ... ... £2 3 9J New Zealand, per scholar, Table F3 ... ... £3 18 0i ~ deduct scholarships, training, and Committees ... ... ... 0 4 2f 3 14 9| Excess of New Zealand ... ... £1 11 0£ Besides other obvious circumstances that have to be taken into account in making a comparison between England and New Zealand as regards the cost of education, there is the circumstance that if the means of education are to be carried within reach of the settlers generally, the cost of public schools per scholar must be greater in a sparsely-settled young colony than in the much more densely-peopled Mother-country. Comparison with Neighbouring Colonies. As the Education Beports of these colonies for 1883 have not yet reached New Zealand, I must make use of those for 1882. In Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia the public schools are administered directly by a Minister of the Crown. There are no District Boards as in New Zealand; and, instead of School Committees, there are local " Boards of Advice." In Queensland and Victoria there are no school fees for primary education. In New South Wales there are fees "not to exceed 3d. a week for each child up to four in a family; all over four are free." The fees are received by the teachers, and paid into the Treasury. A resolution was passed by the Lower House lately that no fees are to be paid in future. In South Australia there are school fees of 6d. and 4d. a week, with remission to those unable to pay. Fees go to teacher, except where he receives a fixed salary. In the following comparison I have included school fees in the expenditure of New South Wales and South Australia. Queensland. —The average cost per scholar for 1882 is explicitly stated on page 7 of the report, viz.:—Based on the average daily attendance: Teachers' salaries and allowances and incidental expenditure, £4 3s. 3Jd..; buildings, £1 4s. 5d.: total, £5 7s. BJd. New South Wales. —On pages 27 and 29 of the report for 1882-83 the cost per scholar is given as £6 15s. llfd., of which £4 ss. was for current expenditure, and £2 10s. llfd. for buildings. The following is given as the average : Cost to the State, £6 4s. 9Jd.; cost to the parent, 11s. 9d. It is stated on page 26 of the report that "in ten years the amount of the vote per school has increased threefold, and that the amounts per pupil for the first and last of the ten years are approximately