POHANGINA VALLEY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 244, 12 September 1935, Page 11

POHANGINA VALLEY

(From Our Own Correspondent.) POHANGINA, Sept. 10. On Saturday night, the monthly meeting of tho Polian gin a Valley branch of tho Amalgamated .Farmers’ and Dairy Farmers’ Union was held at Raumai, when Mr J. D. Palmer presided over a smaller attendance than usual. The secretary (Mr J. A. Rovvbotliam) reported that arrangements had been completed for a dance to bo lield m October. jllio president reported Unit a letter of tnauks liad been sent to rUr il. K. ti. Kyle, xVi.P., lor lus eliorts to seeure the passing 01 Lite Stock Beuiodics Wet, and asking bis support lor a Pure Seeds .Bill both of wlucli measures liad been suggested by this branch. Mr Kyle, in reply, liad congratulated tho branch on its efforts and promised to give careful consideration to the Pure Seeds Bill, which was now being drafted. The monthly report of the executive committee was read and discussed, replies boing received relating to a number of remits forwarded by the branch. To tho request that adequate transport concessions bo mado available to country children when travelling to high school —by established services —or, where no transport service existed, the Education Department should provide subsidies, the Minister of Education replied as follows: ‘‘ln reply to tho first paragraph, 1 have to say that the question of fixation of fares in public conveyances is one for the local Transport Licensing Authority. I understand that these authorities frequently receive requests for reduced fares for children travelling to school, and do what they can to fix a reasonable rate when granting licenses to road operators. Tho further request of tho cexculive must be considered according to individual circumstances, i.c., where a child lives three miles from school tho Government allows a capitation grant of 6d per return trip towards the cost of conveyance to school if the child travels in a wheeled vehicle. In any ease where the distance exceeds five miles, tho allowance is increased to Bd. In rare instances where the road is impassable for a wheeled vehicle a small allowance is made towards the upkeep of riding horses. Further, the Government recently restored tho special, allowance of 5s per week where a child is compelled to board away from home to secure primary education. In view of various alternatives open to parents, I should be surprised to learn that backblocks settlors are experiencing any difficulty in providing education for their children. It was felt that the Minister’s reply dealt mainly with the question of children attending primary schools, whereas the remit referred to secondary schools. It was decided to refer tho remit back to the executive with special mention of the difficulty experienced in this district with regard to transport to secondary schools. Another remit to tho executive was carried, as follows: —That provision bo made for absentee voters at local body either by postal ballot or by proxy voting. A further remit requested the executive to oiven for discussion a former remit concerning invalids’ pensions.