RIDING TO SCHOOL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22775, 8 July 1937, Page 8

RIDING TO SCHOOL

}§£[ HORSE ALLOWANCE JT" EXTENSION URGED The opinion that the Government should review the conditions under which riding allowances arc made available to country children to attend primary schools was expressed in the annual report of the Auckland Education Board considered at its meeting yesterday. Under existing regulations a riding allowance is granted to children using horses or ponies only where roads for wheeled-traific are nonexistent, dangerous or impassable. The board considered that all children residing outside, the regulation distance from a school should be placed on an equal footing. It was suggested that a "riding allowance could quite reasonably ha made available in cases where horse-back provided the only means of conveyance to school.

Mr. J. E. Elliott said the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Eraser, during his recent tour of the north, had expressed his sympathy with the granting of the allowance to children who were forced to ride long distances over metalled roads to school. The director of education, Mr. .N. T. Lambourne, however, was opposed to the idea on the grounds that it was open to abuse. It was decided to forward the report to the Minister.