CO129-505-12 Estimates of expenditure 1928 1-9-1927 - 12-1-1928 — Page 93

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Coming now to grants and subsidies, Government

may under the Grant Code make various grants to non-

Government schools which fulfil certain conditions as regards

buildings, the number of pupils entered for various examina-

tions, etc. It has been the policy in the past for schools

to regard those grants as almost automatic. It is however ncccssary to fix a limit to these increasing demands on the public purso.

Such sums as the Government considers

equitable are provided in the Estimates, and it will bo

the duty of school managers so to regulate their arrangements,

in consultation with the Director of Education, that their

requirements can be met from the sums provided. Unauthorized expansion involving claims beyond the amounts provided will

not be recognised by the Government as a legitimate charge

on the Revenue. The amounts now inserted in the Estimates have

been scrutinized very carefully and will it is hoped prove

adequate. It will be noticed that the sum for building

grants has becn reduced, and I invite the special attention

of persons interested to the remarks I have made clsewhere

on the inability of Government to subsidize schemes started

without adequate financial provision.

The $11,639 inserted for equipment for King's Collogo includes gymnastic apparatus, physics and chemistry aparatus for 3rd year pupils, drawing models and a fow minor items. Part of this sum will not be required until King's College is again available for educational purposes.

Head 29- Public Works Department.

There is a nett reduction of $31,677 on personal

cmoluments of the Public Works Department. Of the increases

$39,525 is for stipulated increments and $19,987 for now

posts. Of the decreases $31,280 is accounted for by posts

abolished