TRUANCY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 26, 31 January 1908, Page 8

TRUANCY.

ANNUAL REPORT. The annual report of truancy was presented to the Education 'Board yesterday afternoon. Mr. Dineen, Truant 1 ' Officer, stated that during the year he had visited 462 schools. The number of cases of truancy reported by head teachers came to 3835, and in 141 ca&es proceedings had been instituted, with the result that 120 convictions were recorded. Fines were imposed to the amount of £16 17s, with costs £37 2s against parents. Cases of neglect had been referred to the police, and 45 boys and 18 girls of ages ranging from 7 to 14 had bean committed to-re-ceiving homes or industrial schools. The average attendance showed a falling oif on account of the epidemics prevalent in the district. /For the year 1907 the average attendance was 14,007 wnn an average roll of 16,549, or a percentage of attendance of 84.6, which, compared with tho figures of 1906, showed a decrease &i 3 per cent. In 1906 the average roll was 133 less than in 190/, but the average attendance was 349 greater. Certain schools had been severely affected, as their percentage had fallen from 90 as low as 69, compared with the previous year. During the year valuable assistance had been rendered by the St. John's Ladies' Christian Association by the provision of clothes and boots ,for children. Through the assistance of the association many children had been enabled to attend school. There was still considerable trouble owing to the employment of children on delivery carts, irore particularly milk carts. This ccused many children to be late for school, and in some cases to play truant. Tho report was adopted.