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32
Committee on the subject of the great increase of
expenditure of the School Board, which was duly
considered by the Finance Committee, who drew
the special attention of the Vestry to the following
paragraphs in the report:—
That, as compared with the year 1889, the charge
on the rates has increased 36.88 per cent., while the
number of children educated has only increased
4.12 per cent.
That for the year ended Lady-day, 1889, the
charge on the Rates for School Maintenance alone
was £1 17s. 4d. per child (the cost of the two previous
years being £1 17s. 1d.), but the cost for the current
year is estimated at £2 9s. 2d.
That for the year ended the 25th March, 1889,
the Inspectors, Instructors, and School Correspondents
cost £16,198, but for the current year their
cost is estimated at £24,783.
That the office expenses have increased from
£22,967 to £35,970 in the same period.
That under both these heads the cost has increased
by more than 50 per cent,, although the number of
scholars in average attendance by no more than has
increased 4.12 per cent.
The Vestry passed the following resolutions thereon:—
That one course the Vestry can take is to call
the attention of the ratepayers to the great increase
in the expenditure, with the view to their attention
being given thereto at the forthcoming election:
and that this Vestry is of opinion that the increased
expenditure on education presses too heavily upon
the ratepayers of the Metropolis, and that the incidence
of the School Board Rate ought co be
altered.