LATE LOCALS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 July 1925, Page 3

LATE LOCALS.

The sum of £3OOO was distributed last year by the Education Department to public libraries in country districts on the basis of subsidy nil moneys raised Ideally by voluntary contribution. Some three hundred libraries participated in the grant, receiving amounts varying from 97 to CM. The subsidy is not paid to libraries situated in tov ns or boroughs with a population exceeding fifteen hundred. Parliament will he asked to appropriate a further sum ol £3900 this year to enable the payment of subsidy to he continued.

“fn regard to superannuation, wo have made no further progress.” 1-1)111-infiits the annual report of the Kceondarv School Assistants* Association. “Additional clauses, giving effect to

many of our requests, have been preI'ared by the Mini-tor’-- instructions and are -till waiting to he intrdueed tn Parliament. Like so many matters affecting education, these have either been tossed aside at the last minute c.r have never been introduced because of the additional expense involved if they were incorporated in the Act. There is no doubt (lint most teachers wlui look ahead for their dependents rather than for themselves, regard the superannuation fund as a very poor investment. Many ol them would ii' given the opportunity, willingly draw their money out and invest it elsewhere. A proposal was made to the Minister that any teacher who so desired might, by payment of an increased rate, or by specially contracting with the department, accept a lower pension on condition that his widow were given a correspondingly greater pension. Tn reply, the Minister promised that lie would have this question submitted to actuarial investigation. So far the* executive has no further report from the Minister.’