OUR THIRSTY CHILDREN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 65, 17 March 1915, Page 6

OUR THIRSTY CHILDREN.

* AXD THE WATER SUPPLY. The persistent refusal of the City Council to make any preferential treatment for schools in the matter of water rates was the subject of passing reference at the meeting of the Education Board to-day. The subject came under notice in connection with an application for relief in this direction from the Ponsonby schools. The Chairman of the Board (Mr. O. J. Garland) explained that this was a matter which had always been treated* with lack of sympathy by the City Council. The Council in this- respect set a bad example to the neighbouring local bodies. Throughout Wellington and Taranaki there was not one local body that charged schools for water, though, of course, water to the teacher's residence was charged for. And this, was only just because the parents of the children paid rates, and to charge water rates to the school meant that the parents were being charged twice. It was wrongly contended that the Board should pay these rates, but the money had to come from the. parents just the same. The Board was bound down by regulation, and only a certain allowance could be made to school committees on a capitation basis. If that money had to be spent in water rates the school had to go without other things that would increase ite efficiency.