Increased Boarding Allowance Sought

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31195, 20 October 1966, Page 4

Increased Boarding Allowance Sought

To obtain satisfactory secondary schooling for their children, some Banks Peninsula farmers had sought homes in Christchurch, and were working their properties from the city, the meat and wool executive of Federated Farmers was told yesterday.

One of the Banks Peninsula representations Mr V. Shadbolt, said this when speaking on the problems of secondary education in rural areas.

On the motion of Mr M. S. Murchison, of Lake Coleridge, seconded by Mr Shadbolt, the meeting agreed to ask the provincial executive to have the question of boarding school allowances taken up with the Minister of Education. Mr Murchison said he was most concerned that the Minister had recently announced that no increase would be made in the boarding school

allowance. “I’m not looking for a greater boarding allowance for myself, but for employees who live in rural areas.” he said. “It is just ludicrous to expect employees to be able to find £l2O a year. It seems that if you don’t live on a school bus route you are penalised, and the allowance (at present £6O a year) does not cover: half the cost. “There is no increase. be-> cause the Minister says so! on the recommendation of a • commission, but who is this commission?” The chairman (Mr W. N. Dunlop) said hill country representatives in the North Island had pressed this topic at the last Dominion conference. Their situation was the same as that of high country farmers in the South Island. “Beating Our Heads” Mr Murchison urged that the question be taken up again. “I know it is like beating our heads against a concrete wall, but the wall must crack sooner or later,” he said. Mr Murchison said it should be pointed out to the Minister that more boarding establishments were required, and that children not living on bus routes were being penalised. Mr V. Shadbolt said a similar problem was faced by families on Banks Peninsula. It was also difficult to obtain labour, because one of the first things prospective employees asked about was the availability of secondary schooling. Mr Shadbolt agreed that there was a shortage of boarding establishments in the city. Some farmers had bought houses in town, and were travelling to and from their farms. “And you know what happens when there is an absentee owner,” Mr Shadbolt said.

The meeting agreed to ask the provincial executive to have representations made to the Minister of Agriculture as well as the Minister of Education.