AN ABUSE EXPOSED.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 906, 27 August 1910, Page 9

AN ABUSE EXPOSED.

SCHOOL CHILDREN AND RAILWAY -/ : '■;.■ PASSES. , '-. . An abuse in cuuntctioii with the issue of free railway passes to primary, school children , --obliged, "to travel, from rail-way-stations when there is no publi'!, school in the vicinity, to the station .in the vicinity of the nearest public school,, was exposed at the Education Board? Conference- during a short discussion .on the following'nlotion: — . .' ( "That the Department be asked to take steps to have defined the word: 'vicinin No. 17 (I) of the Railway Department's regulations 'Passenger, Tares au>l Regulations.' " . ... ... Mi. Crbwi", secretary of the Auckland. Education" Board, said that there was a very prevalent abuse of the privilege. Application forms had' tu be endorsed by the headmaster of the school at which it was desired to attend. It was a comparatively easy inatter to secure this jirivilege, and he hail known of pupils leaving ■ one school ■ because' of some friction with.the teacher, securing- a -pass, and going to. another, school.\: Some children would attend a certain school simply' for the sake of ',ho: railway ride. He , know, of one ease where : the school was n mile distant from the abode,, of a certain, family. But' the children! , for'some.-'reason or other preferred another school further, distant, and in order tu attend it-had to walk a quarter of'-a'mile to the railway, station, travel to''the next station, anc then ..walk half a mile to the .school. The thing was ridiculous, and the. cvii could easily be "disposed-, of Were-nUn boards consulted a , little more'freely than was the custom. '.. \\ "' It was ■ generally ■ agreed' that a clearer ■definition of tlie ; word , vicinity.would:as-' sist to,stop the abuse, -and the. proposal, was adopted. ■i "■ •': . '■ ; An examination of the. official .form (herounder) will show, that the evasion of the spirit .of the , concession is a simple matter:— .«' ' , ■' ' . "I hereby certify, .that A.8., residing at -, , whose present.age is years months, is. entitled, under .paragraph* -of.'the'regulation for' fit* "school season tickets, to a free . school ticket from to to enable him [her] to attend the . -at : for tlia purpose of. '-.!'. instruction." , :' ■ 'Insert the number of the clause (I,A etc:) of the free school sensou ticket, yro(julation. ■■'■.... '. ■'