NOT DANGEROUS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 21, 26 January 1939, Page 14

NOT DANGEROUS.

SCHOOL BUS DRIVING. HEADMASTER IN DEFENCE. ACCIDENT-FREE RECORD. The statement made by Mr. W. I. Bowyer at the meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday that the speed of 35 miles an hour which buses travelled ■when taking children in country districts to and from, school was too fast is not shared by Mr. C. Hotson, headmaster of the Otorohanga District High School. This morning Mr. Hotson said there ; were approximately 700 pupils attending ! the Otorohanga School and of them 400 conveyed daily to and from school by State buses. To do this the buses covered a total distance of 280 miles and were driven by teachers. Eight buses were engaged, and children were brought to the school from as far distant as 23 miles. "The regulations provide for k speed limit of 35 miles," said Mr. Hotson, "and I consider this safe on good and open roads when the buses are iit sound mechanical condition. Daily, vear in ! and year out, for the past two and a half years, our buses have made these trips and not once has there ever been a serious accident of any kind or a child injured. "I notice that Mr. Bowyer says that some of the buses onlv did 9.3 miles to the gallon," said Mr. Hotson. "This is true, but I would like to point out that the average over the whole of the fleet is between 10 and 11 miles to the gallon. A low mileage of a bus may be caused by any of many things, such as road conditions, number of stops, load, and driver's experience. "At Otorohanga we have a permanent mechanic paid by the State, and it is his duty to see that the buses are always in excellent mechanical running order.In my opinion the teacher-drivers are safe, capable and conscientious drivers— in fact their record of accident-free mileage speaks for itself. "I would like to add that my experience as a headmaster of a consolidated school convinces me that the Minister of Education and the Education Department have the welfare of the country children at heart and do all possible to I see that they are comfortably and safely carried."