SCHOOL TRANSPORT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 38, 9 January 1945, Page 5

SCHOOL TRANSPORT

STATE BUSES TO BE PROVIDED

SCHEME FOR NEW YEAR

The chairman of the combined school committees Mr J. Wilson. '3 '

advises that two Departmental buses are being supplied to. transport children to the Edgecumbe and Whakatane Schools this year. The provision of these buses, which will be driven by teachers, is the outcome of urgent representations regarding overcrowding on school buses made to the Education Board by the local school committee and subsequently by the combined committees. At a conference held in Wha'katane some months ago, Mr Sincl-air the Education Transport Officer s and Mr Baxter Assistant Secretary of the Auckland Education Board ? both agreed that overcrowding on school buses in this district, had reached alarming proportions and stated they considered the case for Departmental buses to overcome the danger of the first priority. Having secured two new buses, licensed to carry fifty children each, these officers again visited Whakatane last month to discuss the most suitable routes with the combined committees. It has been arranged for one bus to be stationed at Matata and it will tratvel direct to the Whakatane school via Edgecumbe and Awakeri. The other bus which- will be garaged in Whakatane will run in the morn,'9 ing to Edgecumbe, thence via Gow'sRoad back to Edgecumbe and then via the Thornton and Te Paroa To-* tara to Whakatane. Although the numbers travelling this year will be greater than ever it has to be remembered that there are now two buses on this route against only one last year. To alleviate overcrowding on the Te Teko route and to provide, a better service for secondary pupils from Mr Hignett's run has been extended to operate from Te Teko to Otakiri and thence to Whakatane I via Edgecumbe. It is confidently expected that these arrangements' will provide an adequate and comfortable service for the transport ol' school children in this district and their operation will be watched by the various committees concerned with considerable interest . The new buses will arrive in Wha-i katane before the opening of the school year so that the teacherdrivers may be given the necessary driving instruction.