SCHOOL "STRIKE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 214, 10 September 1935, Page 10

SCHOOL "STRIKE."

FREE RAIL TRAVEL WANTED. PROTEST AT ROTOWARO. . ■ ! ,- t;i (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HUNTLY, Monday. When the Rbtowaro School reopened this morning after the holidays a number of school children residing at Pukemiro and attending the school, which is two miles distant, by rail and three miles by road, did not attend. On Friday evening the parents of the children concerned held a meeting to protest against the action of the Education Board in refusing to grant free railway tickets to children ovsr 10 years of*age. It was stated that failing iihe' granting of free tickets to all the school children who attend the Rotowaro School, but reside at Pukemiro Junction, or,- as an alternative, the erection of a school at Pukemiro Junction, parents would refuse to send their children to echool. Of the 53 children attending, only a very small percentage are uni|er 10 years of age. r About five children attended school this morning. Children over 10 yeirs of age who attend the school have >to pay for their tickets, otherwise the-y have to walk, and the road is not in very good condition. It is understood that during the depression years the Education Bpard subsidised the Railway Department for all children travelling to school by train, irrespective of their ages, but during the past few years free tickets have been granted only to children up to 10 years of age.