At the meeting of the Charitable Aid Board held last evening the follovyinjj letter received from the Town Clesk (Mr Wir. Carpenter) was read :—" I am directed by the Council of the Borough of Thames to request you to furnish the Council with a statement showing in detail the expendi ture on the Orphanage during the last year of its existence." Mr Radford moved: " That the request be complied with/ ,

Mr Foy seconded

The Chairman (Mr Coutts) said that the Borough Council had been furnished with the desired information t>?o years ago, and they had stated their satisfaction with it. If the Board's affairs were to be managed by the Borough Council the Board might as well shut up altogether. Mr McEateer said he did not see why tbe Board should be called upon to supply the information again. The Secretary (Mr A. Bruce) said that the Board was not legally compelled to supply any information to any outside body or individual, and quoted from the Act in support of this statement. Mr Bruce went on to say that in September, 1893, the Board requested the General Purposes Committee to report on the question of the closing of the Orphanage, and at the October meeting a report was submitted gi*ing the whole statistics, and the detailed cost incurred in the mainten ance of that institution. Referring to tbe minutes, the speaker stated that ot the same meeting a resolution was passed to the effect tbat each of the local contribut ing bodies be supplied witfi a copy of tbe report, and accordingly a copy was sent to the Borough Council. Mr Bruce then quoted from the report as follows :— From April Ist, 1891, to July Ist, 1893— a period of 2\ years—the average number of inmates was 18 ; the totat cost £1102 14s 5d ; the average cost per head £26 8s per annum. From April Ist, 1892, to July 31st, 1893—a period of 16 months— the average number of inmates was 15|; the total cost £561 6s lOd ; the average cost per htad £27 3s per annum. Tbe permanent charges are as follows:— Master and matron, £100; general ser vant, £26 ; medical officer, £10 ; rates, £3 2s 6d ; insurance, £9; total, £148 2s 6d. The above does not include the maintenance of the master, matron, or servant. 