THAT LOST SCHOOL SUBSIDY.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3536, 26 July 1920, Page 4

THAT LOST SCHOOL SUBSIDY.

(To The Editor.) Sir, —With reference to your subleader in Saturday’s issue on the subject of a lost Government subsidy amounting to £57 0/6. As you have mentioned the present committee of the Taihape District High Schorl as being possibly responsible for the loss 5 let me say that the subsidy was really lost two years ago. Voluntary contributions, donated for expenditure on approved works carry a £ for £ departmental subsidy. Early in the year 1918 sums of money amounting to £57 0/6 were voluntarily contributed for the work of removing the clay bank in the school playground. Before the £ for £ subsidy on this amount could be paid over to the Committee it was necessary that the work for which the money was given should be carried out to the value of £ll4 1/, being the amount of contributions- plus the subsidy. Unfortunately no money was spent on the removal of the clay bank, and the £57 0/6 of voluntary contributions was apparently absorbed by the heavy demands on the general school fund account, as there was only a balance of 14/11 standing to the'credit of the Committee at the bank at the end of 1918.

It must be remembered, that 191 S was fhe epidemic year, and I think it quite probable that owing to the general disorganisation resulting from that I scourge the Committee failed to realise j until too late that the £57 0/6 had been used to pay accounts foreign to the purpose for which the money had been given. When the present committee came into office this year it found that the Education Board was waiting for the fulfilment by this committee of the conditions which would entitle it to lift the money. These conditions, had not been, anti, of course, cannot now- be complied with for reasons stated above, and it has therefore been necessary to inform the Board of the circumstances and allow the subsidy to lapse. —I am, etc., A. JAMES, Chairman Taihape D.H. School Committee.