A DEBATEABLE QUESTION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 290, 15 September 1915, Page 3

A DEBATEABLE QUESTION.

(SCHOOL CHILDREN AND HOLX I DAYS. ! LIABILITY OF PARENTS. EDUCATION BOARD DISCUSSION. A topic, which opens up a wide field of discussion, was debated at the meetiinfg of t)he Education Board last ! night, in consequence of a diplomatically worded communication from the Education Department anent a magisterial decision not to fine pare-its v.-ho went on a holiday and took their children with th'em, the siad holidays being at a time when the schools were in session. /The Department o'pftned that the magisterial point raised could be settled by a ilegal process only. "Say the children are taken away for three weeks?" hazarded one of the members.

Mr Purnell said it was often the duift- of parents to go away for a holiday, and tlhe only thing they coUId do would be to take their children. "Parents who can afford to take their children away could afford to pay for their tuition at a private school," said the chairman iMr Fred Pirani). "Teachers are paid according to the attendance. Parents who take their children away are using the salary of th e teacher?" Mr Purne'il: Why?

| The chairman: Are lyou going to say [ that they should be allowed to take ,'their children away for a week or a month? In the case under review it was a month. Surely ten weeks' holidays in the year are sufficient without another month added. Mr Dixon: Take the case of two parents (with) $ ojf «*JhildJren who 'go away on a holidaly. What can they do with them? The Chairman: They can go away when the fares ar e cheap. Mr Bennett: I am not expressing an opinlion, but take the case of a railway employee who has to take *his holidp'y when it suits his Department. I wtould be tough if at the only time when he could tako his children free, up to a certain age, by rail, that he should be liable to prosecution. The chairman: They could have a holiday at home. Ther e has not been a snigle instance of that kind. Mr Bennstt: I know a case cf a I -nan who took bus six children up to ~.nd. Mr Purnel'l: What good would a few weeks' school in Auckland do them? The chairman: There is the law. If 'it is not satfefacter|y it should be altered. It must be obeyed as long a,s it is on the Statute Book. Somi 9 people study only their own convenience. The first consideration should be the school, unless it is a question of childr'pp's health.

Mr Bruce said on e difficulty was primary and secondary schools not having holidays at thfe same time. The chairman (sarcasticallyV. Tire proper thing would be for the. civil-

dren to come to school on Saturdays, and take th;e rest of the week off for holidays. That i a what it seems to be coming to. If we ar e going to consult the convenience of the parents it means going back to the old sjystem. when "Molly was kept to help with the washing, and somebody else to mind th ti tr-by.'

Mr Bruce said it would be better if the prm&ry school holidays fell in witfc th ,he or th e secondary schools.

The chairman said that the pr.»-' ptosal had been !in force some years ago, but had caused a lot of troubleHe added that it was not usually vnrTc ing people who oould afford to take* ' their children awajy from school and on (holidays.

Mr Purnell: If a parent takes av child away for a couple of days on: a holiday—

The chairman: For even one dty he ■would- be liab'le.

At this stage the discussion !angusihed. and the Board passed .m ta a new subject.