SCHOOL CHILDREN ON TRAINS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 38

SCHOOL CHILDREN ON TRAINS.

MORE STRINGENT REGULATIONS.

The Education Department consider thafc the check kept upon the issue of free season tickets to school children, to enaWethem to journey by rail to school, is not sufficient. In seeking a remedy, it has •ent out a circular letter, a copy of which was received by the Education Board afc ite meeting on the 15th. It was aa follows:; With reference to the regulation concerning the issue of free eohool season tickets ... I am forwarding- to you the certificates which have been issued to children during tne cmrrent year by head teachers in 3-our district. The rail-* way officers control the issue of tickets, end the Education Department knows nothing of them until the accounts are presented for payment. In individual cases a doubt has occasionally; risen in. the department as to the propriety of the grant for the tickets, and it is considered advisable fefrat education boards should •have the opportunity of knowing pre-* cicely what is being done in the matter.. Tickets have been issued, fox example, on the allegation that the nearest school is overcrowded, or that the children, for} some reason, have been refused admis-

aion. The railway officers cannot, of course, investigate claims of this kind, and it may happen consequently thatt more travelling is done t&an the regular taons warrant. In future the certificates will be forwarded each month after tb#

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claim for payment has been dealt with, find I bejr that y->u will examine them and make • inquiry into any case that may appear to involve irregularity. E. O. Gibbes, Secretary for Education. The Chairman said it was perfectly right that the board should have particulars of the children travelling to school by train. Mr Scott said he tboug_ht it was rather a. matter for the discretion of the hsad master, who signed the railway form. The Chairman said he thougiht it was, de&iraible that the board should be advised *f a»y children tra-veUing to school by rail, in order that it might know whether those •childrea were passing any school that they might otherwise attend. Mr Mitchell suggested that ' all teachers be requested to supply the board with a monthly statement, showing the number of children who came to their schools by Tail, and other particulars, such as file children's place of residence, and why (if at «ll they passed one school in order to Attend another. Mr Israel said ihe thought thai Mr Pryde might draft a form to be supplied to school teachers, in order that the latter might supply the information desired. The Chairman said that the greatest difficulty was in connection with the town schools. .Numerous children came into Dun--edtn by rail, attending, schools which had a very large complement of pupik, and passing -other schools wbieth they might reasonabty attend, *nd which badly needed an increased attendance. It vras resolved that,. in the meantime, the letter be .received, and - thai the Minister l>e -advised that the board would assist him to the best of its ability.