THE POKENO SCHOOL.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 617, 18 March 1921, Page 4

THE POKENO SCHOOL.

TOO FAR FROM CHILDREN'S HOMES. DEPUTATION TO EDUCATION BOARD. \ A deputation from Pokeno waited on the Auckland Education Board on Wednesday morning, and presented a petittion praying for the removal of' the present Pokeno Vally school to a site nearer the township, or the erection of a school within reasonable distance of the station. Mr C. J. Leathen, chairman nf the Pokeno School Committee, headed the deputation, and Mr. J. Dean, another of the petitioners,. presented the case. He said 99 heads of families, all of whom had children of school age or thereabouts, had signed the petition. The real hardship of which complaint was „ made was the fact that the present school in Pokeno Valley was two miles away from the centre of population, and it was unfair to ask small children to walk these two miles to their lessons. Mr Dean stated that 58 children who did or should go to the Pokeno Valley school lived within a mile of the station, whereas only 23 lived within a mile of the school. The roll number was at present 81, and there were two teachers, but if the average attendance was a little higher the school would quality for three teachers. This would surely be so if the little ones had not so far to walk. The speaker made out a good cose saying that the education of many of the younger children was being delayed because the school was so far away. •

Mr J. D. McKenzie, the chairman, promised to give the request careful consideration. It was referred to the advisory inspector, Mr W. D. Dunlop, for his report.