DEPUTATION TO MINISTER

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5255, 23 March 1928, Page 3

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER

OF SCHOOL CHILDREN

BUS SERVICE URGED.

Yesterday morning the opportunity ( was taken by Mesdames L. Ficher, W. ( B. Williams, C. Edgecombe, G. Mclntosh, E. J. Williams, Johnston, F. C<fck, and W- E. Chick to wait as u deputation on the Hon. R. A. Wright, Minister of Education, while he was passing through Paeroa on his way to Tauranga and explain the petition that had already been handed to him on Tuesday. The deputation was introduced by Mr A. M. Samuel, M’.P., w|ho said that the ladies were so keen on getting jfceir children to school that they had the conveyance, and would ‘ have to pay for it’ themselves if the Education Board would not help tnem. L- It was costing 7d a day for each cnild', ,; and one family, had six children attending school. It w.as quite out bi the question for some of the children to attend school unless a bus was sup- . . plied. If iri getting a bus they had done anything contrary to the law, he could assure the Minister that it hac been done in go'od faith as they had been, led to believe that .arrangements had been made by the board. Thife, they had found out later, was not the . ■•■■■ case, and sooner than let their children suffer had continued with the bus service. Mrs L. Fisher, on behalf of the deputat’on, said that when they started the service they understood the bus ■ .Viad been sanctioned by the board, and ■ Twas only'awaiting confirmation, of the department at Wellington. When the bus did not turn up the first two days they decided to /order it themselves, thinking tWt it would only be a matter of a few days before author- ’ X ity would come along. She understood • that the Netherton Schocfl Committee had objected, but as they could not get sufficient for a bus service to Netherton their only way was to join •up .with hhe Pekapeka Road settlers. They were willing to help, but not to. pay for the whole lot. She thought it would only be a fair thing to grant , a free bus, as there would be 36 children. Unless they could get a free they would be compelled to petition for a new school on tlie Pekapeka corner. This, however, they did not want to.- do, as they a'll favoured' the • larger school.. Two schools in the neighbourhood .had a. free bus service, and they thought that they were entitled to one. The children were being kept’ back through the long dis- ‘ • - tance from school. In repily the Minister said that he recognised the settlers*’ difficulty, but \ they had no right to authorise expenditure. it was -unwise of them to take financial responsibility, because it m ! ght be the means of penalising -. themselves. 'Authority must be ,ob* (O tained before expenditure could be aln lowed. Since receiving the petition .he had wired to the board and. found v that the matter had been referred to -X V lc advisory inspector.. It was en- . tirely a matter for the Education ' Board, and as soon as the advisory inspector had made his report he felt . sure something would be done. . Mr»Samuel, in thanking the Minister for receiving the deputation, said that when the bus was ordered the settlers really thought that it had been granted by the board, and the matter was only awaiting confirmation by the department. •