Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 1900. Truant Inspectors.

Manawatu Herald, 23 June 1900, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 1900. Truant Inspectors.

Prom time to time have we had to comment on the extraordinary manner parents were summoned for the non-attendance of their children at school. When parents appeared in answer to the summons it was shown, in many cases, that the children had been ill, a fact that the teacher and in some instances the chairman of the school committee were aware, yet the summonses were issued. In oases were no defenoe

was raised a fine was inflicted, but where the absences were shown to have been from sickness the informations were dismissed. Parents have often wondered why such an objectionable course has been pursued, and we can only echoe the " Why ?" We reproduce the following taken from the report of the last meeting of the Wanganui Education Board : — Fines for Truancy — In reply to a letter from Education Department enclosing a communication from Mr Deighton, clerk of the court at Marton, the following resolution was passed, on the motion of Mr Pirani : " That, owing to the inability of the school committees to pay the Truant Inspector, and to their neglect io prosecuting truants, the Board, with the consent of the committees, appointed a truant inspector under section 9 of the Act' who received, as part of his salary, the fines recovered. As no committees have prosecuted in the case 3 in which the penalties in question have been imposed, the Board considers that they belonged to th. Board's truant officer.