EDUCATIONAL GRANTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8475, 29 June 1907, Page 5

EDUCATIONAL GRANTS.

DISCUSSION AT TRUST LANDS TRUST MEETING.

QUESTION OF AN OVERDRAFT.

A special meeting of the' Masterton Trust Lands Trustees was held, last evening, to deal with the question of allotting the educational grants for the present year. There were present —Messrs T. B. Michell (chairman), T. Wagg, W. H. Jackson, E. G. Eton, E. McEwen, D. Caselberg, J. Hessey and R. Krahagen. The Chairman, in explaining the. object of the meeting, reminded the members that there was £65 owing to the Borough Council and a debt of £1,020 owing on the Town Hall. He considered that an effort should be made to pay off £3OO per annum of the Town Hall debt. The estimated revenue for the present year would be £1,300. This might be considered as actual revenue because the estimate this year was only allowing an increase of about £6O on last year's estimate. Nearly £3OO had already been expended since March 31st, and, roughly speaking, there was the sum of £I,OOO for grants and general repairs to and maintenance of Trust property. He wished these facts to be taken into account when the educational grants were being allotted.

Mr Jackson said he was going to support the highest grant possible for every school provided the grants were allotted on an equitable basis. He had prepared a list showing the amount of the grants paid to each school, the average number of scholars on the roll at each school, and the amount paid per pupil on the roll. The Masterton District High School received a grant of £95, the average number of pupils on the roll was 850, and the amount paid per pupil was 2s 3d; St. Patrick's School received £27, the average attendance of pupils was 110, and the per pupil was 4s lid; the Fernridge School received £25, there was an average attendance of 88, artd the amount paid per pupil was 5s 8d; the? Te Ore Ore School received £lO, the average attendance was 55, and the amount paid per pupil was 3s Bd. This calculation, said Mr /Jackson, assumed that all scholars on the rolls at the schools mentioned were residents of the Masterton Small Farm Settlement. He would also like to compare the amounts paid by the Greytown Trust Lands Trust with those paid by the Masterton Trust. The income of the Greytown Trust was £230, while the Masterton Trust received annually £1,300, and the Greytown Trust saw fit to grant the Greytown District High School the sum of £9O, being an average of 7s per head for the 258 pupils on the roll. The Chairman: Greytown has only one school, while we have four. Mr Jackson: Greytown alio made a number of special grants towards the Science and Agricultural Classes as well as the £9O. We afe not doing such a mighty thing for education here, as they are in Greytown. The Chairman was of opinion that the grants should be allotted this year on the same system as last year. The question of each school that received a grant from the Trust submitting a balance sheet was raised, and Mr Jackson moved that all the educational grants be passed as formerly, but not paid until satisfactory ' alance sheets were produced. Mr Krwhagen seconded the motion.

Mr Wagg moved, as an amendment, that all the educational grants be passed on the same basis as last year, but only two-thirds of the amounts be paid now, the balance to be paid at the end of the year if sufficient money is available. He suggested that all the other grants should be cutoff. "We'll have an overdraft," said the speaker, "and 1 don't want that." Mr Caselberg considered the amendment very drastic. For the sake of £B6 all the other grants should not be cut out. Even if all the grants were paid, the overdraft at the end of the year could not be more than £2OO. Mr Eton: We can't curtail any grants now. The Technical School has already been paid in full and we must be consistent. The Chairrfian: We can't cut down the grant to the Technical School because they require the full £IOO, but the other schools can stand a curtailment in their grants. I have had enough of overdrafts, and don't want to have to sign any more guarantees to the bank. Mr Jackson: I would be very sorry to see the children suffer on account of the bad financing of the Trust. If we do have an overdraf at the end of this year we can wipe it out befor? we go out of office. Messrs Hessey and McEwen expressed themselves as averse to an overdraft. , Mr Krahagen: The £250 subscribed to the new Technical School was extra expenditure, and would not have to be paid next year. The Chairman: We'll have something else cropping up before next year. Mr Hessey considered that, after looking carefully into the matter, the position was not as bad as it seemed. "We'll be able to struggle through this year," said Mr Hessey, "and if we then find ourselves with an overdraft at the end of the year, the grants will have to be cut down next year." Mr Wagg: I'm going to vote against anything that will tend to an overdraft. If the overdraft exceeds £IOO, I wisl issue a wkt of injunction against the Trustees. That's the position, and I warn you. Voices: Oh? Mr Wagg, withdraw that remark. Mr Wagg: No, I give you fair warning of what I intend to do. There was no seconder t.o Mr Wagg's amendment, and the motion, on being put to the meeting, was carried, only Mr Wagg dissenting.