§ Mr. ARTHUR HENDERSONasked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the fact that the assistant masters of the county school, Barnard Castle, have in open meeting passed resolutions protesting against the allocation of any part of the Fisher Grant towards the establishment of a pensions scheme, he has sanctioned the action of the governing body in allocating 65 per cent. of the Grant towards a pensions 499W scheme and the action of the governing body in allocating only 35 per cent. of the Grant towards increases of salaries; whether, in view of the fact that the governing body of the school contend that they can allocate the Grant to any objects they choose and that they can distribute the portion of the Grant allocated to salaries in any proportions they choose amongst the masters, he will issue further Regulations setting out definitely the objects besides increase of salary to which the Grant may be applied and the manner in which the Grant should be distributed amongst masters, whether equally all round or in proportion to years of service; and whether, seeing that some of the masters in the school have not yet received any share of the Grant for the year 500W August, 1916–17, he will take steps to ensure that they receive their share without delay?
§ Mr. HERBERT FISHERIn reply to the first part of the question no representations have been made to me and no sanction has been asked for. In reply to the second part, I do not think the time has yet come for defining, as a condition of grant under the Board's Regulations, either the purposes to which the increased Grant must in whole or in part be applied, or of the methods of its application towards improvement of teachers' salaries. The question will be considered when full information as to what has actually been done by school authorities is available With regard to the last part of the question, I am making inquiry.