EDUCATION BOARD FUNDS.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18409, 16 June 1925, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD FUNDS.

A PLEA FOR INCREASED GRANT.

(SPECIAL' TO "TOT! PRESS.") DUNEDIN, June .15. The Otago Education Board, in its .annual report, regrets being compelled to report that its general fund is proving inadequate to meet the calls upon it. For the past four years the amount of tho Board's necessary expenditure upon office salaries and contingencies has exceeded by £IBOO the total Departmental capitation grants it has received for administrative purposes, an average deficit of £450 per annum in 19—. The administrative expenses of every Board in ,the Dominion exceeded the Government capitation grant, while m 1923 only three of the Boards managed to keep their expenditure within their income, and that only by small margins.- No inereaso in capitation rates for: this fund has been made for : many years, while owing to the greater complexity and intricacy of educational law ; and administration, tho Boards are obliged to employ larger .staffs and higher-salaried officers. In view of the foregoing, the O.Fago Board.is strongly of. opinion that a capitation grant on ;a more liberal scale- should now be sanctioned by the Government. Weight seems to,be-lent to; this contention by (the fact that the Department has found accessary during'the past'seven years (Mamhi' 1917. to March, 1924) to increase its own' office salaries/; and con--tingencies' bill by 130 percent.. , '