BUS FOR AWAKINO

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4815, 26 July 1939, Page 5

BUS FOR AWAKINO

SCHOOL PUPILS CARRIED. SETTLERS GRATIFIED. Monday marked the termination of the long-felt want of a conveyance to take the children of the Awakino Valley Road to the Awakino school. For the past two years various representations have been made to the Education Board and the department by settlers in the Awakino Valley to have their children conveyed daily to the Awakino school and at last their endeavours have met with success. Mr. E. B. Waters, Awakino, was successful in his tender for the transport of these children and has provided a new bus for the work. In the past some of the children have received no education at all, while others have been working by correspondence. The bus travels through the Awakino Gorge to the permanent public works camp a quarter of a mile on the Awakino side of the tunnel, where it turns. On the way back it picks up children from the Bexley Station. These have to walk three-quarters of a mile down a track before reaching the main road. Next it picks up children from the Awakau Road. These have to walk a mile from their home near the Mokau River.

The bus then travels on, picking up other children in the valley, in all 22 children being carried, thus bringing the roll of the school to 48 and enabling- it to maintain its- present grade. Much of the credit for the procuring of the bus, settlers say, is due to Mr. I. Marusich, who has worked untiringly in his efforts to have the children conveyed to the Awakino school.