SCHOOL TERMS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 88, 30 April 1937, Page 6

SCHOOL TERMS

-Press Association.)

Minister's Statement of Position EPIDEMIC'S EFFECTS

(By Telearapb-

WELLINGTON, Last Night. The Minister of Health and Education (Hon. P. Fraser) stated to-day that jinquiries were being received-* by the departments concerned in regard to the 'date of re-openihg of schools in areas where school closure has been iniposed [as a precautionary measure against the 'spread of infantile paralysis, and he 'had, therefore, decided to issue a stateIment for the information of the public. 1 At the present time schools are closed as a group in three areas, namely, the '.Wellington Education Board district •north of Cook Straifc; in that portion of [the Hawke's Bay education district north of Nuhaka and including the East iCoast area, and in a portion of the Auckland education district in Waikato. Because of the proximity of school iholidays, it has been decided that .schools in these areas— -primary, postiprimary, native and private — shall re[rnain closed until May 24, the opening Idate of the second term. At present the various boarding ;establishments in these areas have beeu iallowed to retain their boarders on the lunderstanding that the movements of 'these pupils are xestricted to the school grounds. Where the authoTities concerned so eleet these boarding schools can now permit these pupils to return to their homes bnt on the definite nnder-. standing that such pupils will not be allowed to return to school nntil the day pupils are also permitted to assemble in these same areas. The medical officers of health will continue to impose the restrictions now in force, namely, the prohibition of attendance of children under' the age of 16 from picture theatres, Sunday schools and other gatherings. As part of the period between now and May 24 sncludes some ten days of school holidays, the medical officers of health are being told to exercise their discrefcion as to whether these resfcrictions are lifted partially or wholly before May 24. In addition to the schools which have been closed as groups, there are instances where individual schools have been closed on account of the occurrence of cases of infantile paralysis. As regards the re-opening of these schools, ' the education authorities will be guided by the advice of the medical officers of health. It is understood that teachers will remain on duty at schools until the end of the term in the three areas mentioned above, and in other districts where, in the opinion of the medical officers of health, such action. is undesirable the education authorities should not arrange as part of the Coronation celebrations functions in the school grounds and other places that would involve the. assembling of children.