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MR. A. W. FLUX, M.A., ON CITY GOVERNMENT AND

from which, at a charge of a farthing per week, the scholars can borrow books, is a noteworthy feature. It may be recalled that in elementary schools in Manchester some 35 libraries are found, and' that there is no fee for their use. I am tempted to quote the concluding paragraph of the last annual report of the schools. It is headed “ School-baths,” and runs as follows: “ About half the scholars in the free schools now get a free lukewarm shower-bath at the schools once a fort- night. In general all the scholars.take part in this, but in some schools the sixth class is excused the bathing. Requests for excuse are extremely seldom received from the children’s homes, and as a rule such request should be accompanied by a. medical certificate.” The income from fees lias averaged about £6,600 per annum in the years 1894-98. The amount so received in the Board schools of Manchester, which have about the same number of scholars in average attendance (though among these scholars are included here a great number of infants), is not stated in published accounts separately from the proceeds of the sale of books, etc., to which there is no corresponding charge in Copenhagen. The two together amounted to £9,962 last year. Copenhagen receives no Government grant towards tiie expenses of elementary education, the whole of the outlay being borne by the citizens. The net outlay in 1894-98 was just over £100,000 a year. Ten years previously it averaged under £56,000 a year. The net cost per scholar has not, during that time, greatly increased, having only risen from £2 12s. 7d. to £2 16s. 9d. per head. This cost does not include interest and amortisation on the cost of the schools, but it does include all other costs. The new schools are costing from £14,000 to £17,000 each, and the whole of the schools stand at rather over £360,000 in the city’s statement of assets. The Manchester outlay on a body of about equal average attendance at its Board schools, apart from redemption of loans, was some 12 per cent greater than that of Copenhagen, in spite of the cheap child labour employed. Manchester citizens pay in rates