SCHOOL ROOKS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIII, Issue 13783, 23 June 1905, Page 3

SCHOOL ROOKS.

TO THE BDITOB,. Sir, —The subject of school books for our children, mentioned in your issue of June 19, is a very trying one. Many parents have been hoping that some able writer would take the matter up and fight for us. We are not all ready writers. It seems that some of tho members of the Auckland Education Board are already alive to the interests of parents in this matter. Doubtless there are men on our North Canterbury Education Board who would also interest themselves in this particular direction. As if to make tho tax for school requisites still heavier, in Lyttelton the Borough School Committee has asked parents of children attending that school to provide money for examination papers, pens, ink, pencils and chalk. A sum of one shilling per term is asked of parents having more than two children attending school, and sixpence per term for two or less. Pens and slate pencils parents have usually found themselves. These could never be made to cost four shillings Eer annum. Pons, I understand, are est provided by the school, in order to get a uniform stylo _of writing. But parents are even buying tho chalk now. It is said that the last_ straw breaks the camel’s back, and this last expense for school requisites has forced mo into voicing a general complaint. If tho boys and girls are the grandest asset of a young country, why tax their breadwinners so heavily?—l am, etc., RESIDENT OF LYTTELTON.