School Transport Payment Explained

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30973, 1 February 1966, Page 3

School Transport Payment Explained

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, January 31.

The New Zealand School Transport Contractors’ Association is concerned that a recent statement of the Minister of Education announcing increases in the allowances for the conveyance of school children from 3s to 4s a child a day will give the public a misleading impression.

The association’s president, Mr W. S. Aitken, says that the true position has been established by the Minister in a subsequent letter to the association which points out that the 4s is a limit on the amount of assistance which can be given in any particular case.

It does not automatically mean that such an amount will become payable for every child.

The education boards are obliged to make transport arrangements as economical as possible and there are many services where the cost a child is much less than 4s a day.

In agreeing to a higher limit of cost, the Government had in mind those cases where costs have been a problem either because of the long distances to be covered or because the number of children to be conveyed on one service is low.

In future, education boards will have more power to make satisfactory transport arrangements for those children. The mileage rate payable is not necessarily affected by the new rate.