Cumberland County Council - Cumberland and Westmorland Newspaper Transcriptions

Cumberland County Council

The quarterly meeting of the Cumberland County Council was held yesterday
(Wednesday) at Carlisle, Mr. HOWARD presided.

The minutes of the Technical Education Committee showed that that Committee
had come to the conclusion that a substantial reduction in their annual
expenditure has become essential. They had, therefore, gone over the various
heads of expenditure "seriatum," and passed resolutions thereon. They had
decided that no new scholarships be offered after the present year until the
expenditure was reduced to P600 per annum; that the future expenditure on
science and art classes should not exceed P500 a year; that the total
expenditure on manual classes be limited to P250 per annum; that the annual
expenditure in aid of evening schools should not in future exceed P600 ;
that the aid given to ambulance classes should be limited to the payment of
the fees due to St. John's Ambulance Association for registration and
examination estimated to amount to about P100 per annum; that the amount
allocated to cookery and nursing should not exceed P400 per annum; and that
the annual cost of salaries and expenses of lecturers and inspectors should
not be more than P450. Laundry work had ceased, and the Committee
recommended that dressmaking be suspended for a year, that the aid given to
music classes and to veterinary lectures be discontinued, and that the
travelling dairy school be suspended for a time after the close of the
present session. It was calculated that a saving of P50 per annum might be
effected under the head of central classes for teachers, and that P700 might
cover all expenses in connection with the Joint Farm School next year. The
Committee further recommend that building grants be suspended during
1897-98; and that the Durham College of Science be requested to consider a
reduction in the annueal payment to them in respect of experimental plots to
P260.
Mr. DOBSON proposed the adoption of the minutes of the Committee, and said
that the revision of the scheme had been rendered necessary in consequence
of the very large way in which the various classes under the scheme adopted
some years ago had been availed of and the number of students enrolled on
the register of the schools having been so much larger during the current
session than could have been foreseen or anticipated.

Mr WRIGLEY said he had noticed that the payments on account of the
Newtonrigg dairy school and farm had been P1,500 odd, but no receipts were
shown. If there had been any receipts would they say what they amounted to.

Mr. DOBSON said that a balance sheet had been printed in the minutes, and so
far as the P1.500 was concerned he might say that one of the items was a
valuation of the stock of over P1,300.

Mr WRIGLEY said there was a paragraph in the minutes of the Finance
Committee showing that the Committee had agreed to allow the Technical
Instruction Account of the County Fund to be overdrawn to a further extent
not exceeding P1,000 (in addition to the P1,000 allowed in January, 1895),
for the purpose of enabling the Technical Instruction Committee to meet
their liabilities. He would like to ask if the Council was to understand
that the Technical Education Committee were in debt to the extent of P2,000.
He was afraid they were spending too much in the direction of agriculture.
The Chairman said theGovernment were usually a little late in sending their
contributions, and the Committee had asked the Finance Committee to advance
them money in order that they might be in a position to meet their
liabilities at the proper time. The Committee were not in debt at present;
in fact, they had a small balance. As to the fear expressed by Mr WRIGLEY
that too much was spent on agriculture the Council had agreed that the
Agricultural Sub-Committee might be allowed one third of the contribution
from Government for the greatest industry in the county, or P2,000 a year;
but as a matter of fact they had only spent something like P1,2000 to
P1,4000 a year, or hardly a quarter of the Government contribution. (Cheers)

After further discussion the minutes were adopted.

THE NEW RATES.
In moving the confirmation of the minutes of the Finance Committee, Mr. DEES
(the chairman) explained the estimates for the current financial year. The
Committee regretted that they had to propose an increase in the rates this
year. He entered into an analysis of the accounts, and stated that under the
Agricultural Rates Act the county would receive in lieu of rates P20,445,
which was equivalent to a rate on the agricultural land of 9d. in the P. He
moved that the following rates be levies:--- In respect of the General
County Account a rate of 3/4d. in the P; for the Special County Account No.
1., a rate of 1 1/2d. in the P; and for the Bridge Account a rate of 1/4d.
in the P, making a total rate of 2 1/2d. the half year. --- Mr AINSWORTH
seconded the motion, and it was carried.