DOMINION'S EDUCATIONAL WORK.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1917, Page 6

DOMINION'S EDUCATIONAL WORK.

REFORMS AND EXTENSIONS. In tho Budget Statement, the Finance Minister, referring to education, said the 'past year had been marked by important reforms in the financial and administrative methods. Special consideration had been given to primary education, and steps had been taken to make instruction more thorough. The growth of population compelled an extension and 'educational facilities, and accounted for most of the additional expenditure included in the estimates for the year. Tlu» difference between the amount expended last year and the estimated expenditure for the year IM7-18 is £7'G,787, and of this amount £57,000 is due to increases in statutory grants. Of the total vote a sum of £OI,OOO was spenb for the maintenance of industrial schools, institutions for tho deaf, schools for backward children, infant-life i protection, education of the blind, medical inspection, physical training, subsidies to libraries, and ?nany miscellaneous services of a subsidiary character.

SPECIAL SCHOOLS. I The work connected with the industrial and special schools branch had been carefully overhauled, and improved methods have been introduced. The number of children dealt with in industrial schools at the end of tho year was 32P3, while the expenditure, was £40,000. The system of probation inaugurated at Auckland some three years ago has proved successful, and was about to !>e extended to the other three centres of population. The annual saving in maintenance ultimately i-osulting from classification and boarding out is estimated at £.15,000 .It was important that the Government should deal comprehensively with the question of tho care of all feebleminded children in the Dominion. At present there are at least six hundred cases of feeble-minded young people who should be taken charge of by the State. The whole question should be dealt with before the number of cases has an opportunity of multiplying. SCHOOL BUILDINGS,

Since the outbreak of war Hie" increased cost of material and labor has sen,iously affected all building proposals. [Only works which were absolutely essential have been authorised; but fts a. result of this action the. Department will, when normal conditions prevail, be faced with heavy demands involving large sums to replace school buildings 'which are at present unsuitable. Efforts have been made to standardise school buildings with a view to greater economy in future.

The recent amalgamation of districts has brought into prominence tho position of Board with respect to tho animal allowances made for the maintenance and replacement of schools, and the position disclosed is more or less unsatisfactory, and proposals have been made for the establishment of a better system of providing fund for replacement.

TEACHERS' SUPERANNUATION FUND.

The income during the year ended December 31, 1916, was £90,481, made up as follows: Contributions of members, £50,038; interest on outstanding contributions, £'255; interest from Public Trustee, £lG,4<>G; contributions transferred from other funds. £722; Government subsidy, £17,000. The expenditure for the year was £49,905. The value of the fund on 'December 31, 1-916, was £381,158, as against £340,552 on December 31. lDlo, an increase of £40,576. The number of contributors increased from JIM on December 31, 1915, to 4653 at the end of 1910, an increase of 201). Tile annual allowances payable as at the end of 1016 were £44,6G0, as against £39,000 at the end of 1915.

Provision lias been made for the payment by the Government of the contributions' of members of the fund who have enlisted with the Expeditionary Forte, until the release of the contributors from military duties. The number of contributors who have joined the Force is approximately 350.