TRANSPORT FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20463, 5 February 1932, Page 11

TRANSPORT FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN.

STATEMENT BY EDUCATION BOARD. "It is up to! the School. Committees and the parents in the districts concerned," stated Mr C. R. Kirk, secretary to the Canterbury Education Board yesterday when questioned regarding the position at the Geraldiue and Orari Schools where, owing to the cessation of bus services, large numbers of pupils have been absent. .• "The Canterbury Education Board offered capitation rates to the districts concerned, and asked the local peoipte to make up the difference between the capitation and the, amount: of the tender for bus .conveyance," said Mr Kirk. "The difference would have been very little, amounting practically to the reimbursement of the fares that should have been paid by absentee pupils. The Board's offer, however, was refused, with the result that no bus services have been run since the commencement of the new school year." Mr Kirk' explained that the tenders submitted by the transport concerns were higher than the Board was prepared to .meet' entirely, and advised the School Committees that the tenders would be accepted provided they were prepared to supply the deficiency. They had refused a reasonable proposition, with the result that no arrangements had been made fpr transport in the districts, "