E.—2

9

Conveyance and Board of Scholars. Free passes on the railway to the nearest public or private school are granted to children, living near to the railway-line but out of reach of a primary school, and the same privilege is enjoyed by pupils having to travel to attend secondary schools, district high schools, and technical high schools, and also by free-place holders travelling to attend technical, schools or classes other than technical high schools. Education Boards are also authorized to make provision when necessary for the conveyance of pupils to primary schools by road or water and to contribute towards the payment for board of children compelled to live away from home in order to attend school. The rules under which the Department makes grants to Education Boards have recently been revised, the following being the rates now payable:— (a.) Sixpence per return trip for each child over five years of age conveyed to the nearest public school: Provided that the home is not less than three miles from the school in the case of a child ten years of age or over, and not less than two miles in the case of a child under ten years. (&.) Sixpence per return trip for each child over five years of age conveyed by ferry to enable him (or her) to attend a public school. (c.) Eightpence per return trip for each child where the distance to be conveyed exceeds five miles. (d.) Two-thirds of the recognized rates (subject in each instance to the approval of the Department on the recommendation of the Board and the Senior Inspector of Schools) in the case of a child using a horse or pony as a means of conveyance where roads for wheel traffic are non-existent or are such as to be dangerous or impassable for vehicles, (c.) Five shillings a week for the board for each child over five years of age who through impracticability of conveyance has to live away from home in order to attend a public school. ■(/.) Half the amount expended by the Board on the conveyance (including ferrying) and board of all children over five years of age in excess of the allowances received under (a), (b), (c), (d) and (c). The following represents the expenditure by the Department for the year 1918-19 on the above-named services:—

The total expenditure for the previous year was £28,614. Class-books and School and Class Libraries. The practice of former years of making grants for establishing and maintaining school and class libraries was continued in 1918. These grants come under two heads: — (a.) A capitation grant at the rate of 3d. per head on the average attendance was paid to Boards for the purpose of supplying schools with supplementary continuous readers in sufficient numbers for class reading in P to S6 inclusive, and also for the free supply of classbooks in necessitous cases or in cases where a newly entered pupil had already purchased elsewhere class-books different from those in use in. the school. After provision was made for the supply of such books, the balance of the grant, if any, was spent on. approved books suitable for individual reading in school or at home.

2—E. 2.

■„ ., „ Conveyance by Rauway Fares. Road and Wat 4. Boardingallowance. Total. I Primary Secondary Technical £ £ 10,974 8,869 4,94.8 3,138 £ 1,218 £ 21,061 4,948 3,138 Total 19,060 8,869 I 1,218 29,147