SCHOOL CHILDREN'S TRANSPORT

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21858, 11 August 1936, Page 8

SCHOOL CHILDREN'S TRANSPORT

TO THE EDITOR OF TBB PRESS. Sir,—OUr present Government stated quite recently that it would do all In Us power to improve transport fac;li* ties for children travelling distances to school. Why, then, should It refuse to Improve the conditions of children travelling to Lyttelton from Diamond Harbour?. A letter to the Minister for Education from the parents of these child.On received the reply that there were not enough children to. warrant a . special boat Why are the small numbers penalised?. At present there are eight

children travelling, two of these being in the infant department They leave Diamond Harbour at 8 a.m., arriving at Lyttelton at 8.15 a.m.; then there is a wait of 45 minutes until school commences at 9 a.m. The same delay occurs after school. The infants are dismissed not later than 3 p.m. and the remainder at 8.30 p.m. From then until 4,25 p.m. these children wait about, arriving at Diamond Harbour at 4,40 p.m. The earliest any of the children can arrive home is 5 p.xn., making at least a nine-hour day. As our Government so definitely sets down a 40-hour week, why not reduce the hours of these children by providing more convenient facilities for travelling?— Yours, etc., A DIAMOND HARBOUR MOTHER. August 10, 1936.