INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FEES.

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 270, 20 May 1907, Page 3

INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FEES.

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER. [PBB PKBSS ASSOCIATION] Wellington, May 19. In the course of an interview on the fact that for some past Magistrates in different parts of the colony have been commenting on the system adopted by the Education Department in collecting money from parents whose children have been committed to industrial . schools, the 'Minister for Education (Hon. G. Fowlds) said the position is one of considerable difficulty. As a matter of fact there are over 600 orders in operation against parents, and very few of them are regularly satisfied. If the statement of arrears were issued from the Department every three weeks, we would have to snd out to the police over 10,000 every year. This would mean that a staff of clerks would be required, and the police force would have to be increased largely all~ over the country, especially in the larger towns. It should be borne in mind that not only do parents have to be written respecting each case by the police officer who has the collection < of the money in hand. Some four years ago the work of collection, which had previously been in the hands of the managers of schools, was taken over by the Department, with very satisfactory results. During that time the recoveries increased from £1300 to £2500 per annum. The time o fone officer of the Department' is given entirely to the work, and each case is dealt with upon its merits.