E.—2

8

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 childre.i compelled to live away from home in order to attend school. The following are the rates payable under the various headings:— (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. (b.) 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.) Eigh.tpen.ee 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 impassible 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 1919-20 on the above-named services:—

The total expenditure for the previous year was £29,147. The large increase in the expenditure is due to the higher rates paid in 1919 for the conveyance by road and water and for the boarding-allowance of primary-school pupils. The "School Journal." The School Journal is published by the Department every month (except in December and January) for use as a supplementary reader in primary schools, and is still regarded as a useful and popular publication. In many cases it is being used as the chief reader. It is issued in three parts, suited to the varying capacities of the pupils in standards I to VI inclusive, and is supplied free to public schools, Native schools, special schools, and other institutions more or less under the Department's control or supervision. To a very large number of private schools it is supplied at cost price, with the result that over 15,000 copies of the School Journal are purchased monthly. Of the last issue of the School Journal for the past year the number of copies printed was—Part I, 63,400 ; Part 11, 61,500 ; Part 111, 50,300 ; total, 175,200. In addition to reading-matter of a general character there have appeared in the School Journal during the past year articles dealing with national events, scientific discoveries, and the history and industries of the Dominion, while special numbers have been largely devoted to topics suitable for Empire Day and Arbor Day. Extracts have been taken from the best authors and articles inserted with

Bailway Pares. Boarding-allowance and Conveyance by Road and Water. Total. Primary Secondary Technical £ 11,459 5,613 3,852 £ 17,757 155 £ 29,216 5,768 3,852 Total 20,924 17,912 38,836