PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 144, 10 August 1911, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS.

EDUCATIONAL. Erom papers laid before Parliament under the Hoad “Education,” the follow ing extracts trom the thirty-Toui-tii animal report of the Minister of Education appear:—• The original Act, passed in 1905, and amended in certain icspeds in the following year, was repealed on the 10th October, 1908, by ’die E d lie Service Classification and Superannuation Amendment Act, 1908 .Pair 1.), but existing contributors uc-ie allowed the option of electing to remain subject to the provisions ef the oi iginal Act. The 80th June, Idl'd, was axed as the date up to winch such election might he made. The duel difference between the Act of 1908 and the former nets iffected the basis of calculation of the retiring allowance of a .mU;'tutor. The retiring allowance was t o bo one-

sixtieth of the average into of salary received during the throe yjars next preceding retirement, mi cacn year of service, provided that in no case may the allowance exceed iwo-tinids of that salary; under the former Acts the basis had been one-iivtiotii ol tuo total salary received by the c.mli.dintor din ing the period ol ecmi .Li:t'i;g to the fund for, in .n ner words, (neaixtietli of his average salary for each year of service during the whole- period of contribution), ami, in addition, in the ease oi original members, mm onc-hundicd-ind-vvcnriecli ef the falary during the y ;ars of seiv.oo, between Ist .January, 1878, and Ist January, 19U(i, with a further proviso that in no case should an original member receive a retiring allowance of less than £52 per annum. By the same Act of .1908 the right

of persons employed on Ist 4 ami ary, 1906, as teachers in public

schools or under the Education Department to be admitted at a future date was taken away. The Act of 1908 was amended in Dio following year by fixing a maximum retiring allowance of £BOO per annum in the case of persons who become contributors to tne fund after the passing of the Act (81th December, 1909).

Preparations are being made to enable the Actuary appointed by the Governor, in terms or the provisions of section 88 of tiro Act ol 1908, to make the first examination of the fund. The examination will cover tiie period from the commencement of the fund on the Ist January, 1906, to the 81st December, 19l0—live years. Subsequent examinations will oo made trionnially. The Acutary’s report will be duly printed, laid before Parliament, and copies distributed to contributors. At the end of 1910 the number of contributors was 8217, of whom members under Part IX. of the Education Act of 1908 number 128; the annual rate of contribution paid as at the end of the year was over £87,800. The mimoer of retiring allowances in force at the end of tne year was 270, representing an annual charge of over £14,261. Of these, ordinary allowances were 158, representing £11,487; allowances in medically unfit cases> 21, representing £1468; allowances to widows 47, representing £611; allowances to children 44, representing £BOS. The balance to the credit of the fund and invested by the Public Trustee at> the end of the year, was £152,149; the average rate of interest earned by the investments at the end of the year was 4.69 nor cent. SUBSIDIES TO PUBLIC LIBIT ABIES. Parliament did not appropriate any sum in 1909-1910 for payment of subsidies to public libraries. Last session, however, a vote of £4OOO was granted—an increase of £IOOO over those of previous years. The vote was first granted twenty-seven years ago, and amounted to £6OOO. In* 1886 tne amount was reduced to £4OOO. Eor twelve years after tin's date no grant was made, but in 1898 a vote, of £2OOO was passed by Parliament. The following year it was increased to £BOOO, and tiiis amount lias been regularly voted each year until 1908.

The increase in the amount of the vote is due to the increased income of libraries participating. During the last ton years the number of libraries lias increased from 819 to 405, and the income on which subsidy was granted from £9998 to £15,95 L In tiie “New Zealand Gazette” of Brd November, 19.10, an notice was inserted stating that £BOOO was available for distribution, and shortly afterwards another amount of £IOOO was voted by Parliament, making £4OOO altogether. Forms of application were sent to all libraries known to the Department. The method of distribution of the vote was the same as that adopted in previous years—viz., a nominal addition of £25 was made to the amount of the income of each library derived from subscriptions, donations, and rates, provided that the receipts for the year wore not loss than £2, and the vote was disti United according to Dm amount thus augmented; but no library received credit; lor a larger income tinhi £7s— is, in no case did the augmented amount on which distribution was based exceed £IOO. Ju accordance with the “Gazette” notice, the clay appointed for the distribution of the subsidy was the 3rd February, 1911, and the amount of the vote was divided among the "TOS libraries from whiob applications, each accompanied by a statutory declaration on tiie proper form, bad been received at that date. The vote, as thus dealt with, afforded a subsidy of Is 7.BSd m the pound on the nominal income, and the subsidies ranged from £6 Is /d to £2B Js 7d. The'number of libraries participating in the vote shows a decrease of thirty-two as compared will) the number aided in February 1909.

In order that the purpose intended to bo served by the vote may.bo attained. it is made a condition for participation that the whole of the subsidy granted to each library in the previous year shall have been expended in the purchase of books.