BURDEN OF UNIFORM COSTS

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30839, 26 August 1965, Page 3

BURDEN OF UNIFORM COSTS

(Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, - August 25. The Education Committee of Parliament considers that the attention of education boards should be drawn to the necessity for adopting a reasonable attitude towards the cost to parents of school uniforms. This opinion was expressed today after the hearing of a petition by Blanche B. Winn and 19 others, of Auckland, praying that action be taken to limit the expenditure demanded of parents by educa-

tion boards for school uniforms.

Reporting the petition back to Parliament today, the committee chairman, Mr E. P. Aderman (Govt., New Plymouth) said a great deal of sympathy for the petitioners had been felt by committee members. It was thought that in some instances a more reasonable attitude could be adopted by school principals, but the committee also thought parents, through their representation on school boards, had a means of expression.

Mr P. A. Amos (Opp., Manure wa) said the decision had been unanimous. For many years there had been a tradition for wearing school uniform in secondary schools,

and this was accepted by most parents. “Unfortunately there are isolated instances of principals who adopt a dictatorial attitude towards items of uniform,” he said. There should be some standardisation in regard to the basic elements of uniform worn by pupils of a secondary school and those of a contributing intermediate school. Mr Amos gave the case of one secondary school principal who objected to the pupils of the contributing school wearing the same cardigans as her pupils. There was also the case in another school which specified the number of eyelets in boys’ shoes. He thought that the rider

attached by the committee would help to put things to rights, and to eliminate such cases, which fortunately were rare.

“It might be wise for any education boards which administered several schools to fix upon one basic colour and quality, for uniforms, with distinctive badges and blazer pockets,” Mr Amos said. Mr C. J. Moyle (Opp., Manukau), who introduced the petition, thanked the committee on behalf of the petitioners. “It is important that rising costs should be remembered by school authorities,” he said. “A degree of similarity in the basic uniforms of pupils of contributing schools should not be difficult to achieve.” The report was received.