CHILDREN AT PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11252, 18 April 1902, Page 3

CHILDREN AT PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

(special to "the pkess.") AUCKLAND, April 16. A good deal of discussion has taken place here lately owing to the action of the Truant Officer in notifying parents of children attending private schools, and not ■ possessing certificates of exemption, that proceedings would be taken against them unless the children were sent to a public school. At to-day's meeting of the Education Board a number of private schools applied for certificates of exemption. The Chairman (Mr Bagnall) favoured the granting of certificates. He said he would be willing to support any application for an exemption certificate for schools that were superintended by capable and efficient persons. He pointed out that if their inspectors were compelled to visit all the private schools, of wihich there were about fifty in the district of Auckland, the whole of the work of the inspectors would have to be reorganised. He would suggest that the prinicpals of the private schools should be asked to furnish a list of the teachers employed in their schools, with their respective qualifications. This would provide the Board with the means of ascertaining whether the schools were efficiently staffed. He moved "That the applicants should be requested to furnish evidence of the efficient conduct of their schools, and that in cases where the evidence was satisfactory certificates should be granted. He did not think the Board should allow the idea to go forth to the public that the Board was endeavouring to compel all children attending private schools to attend the public schools. The Chairman's motion was adopted, Mr Minn alone voting against it.