CLOSING OF SCHOOLS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10507, 7 February 1920, Page 8

CLOSING OF SCHOOLS

SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS. HARDSHIP ALLEGED. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. CHRISTCHURCH, February 6. At to-day’s meeting of the Canterbury Education Board the secretary reported that the district health officer’s action in suddenly closing the schools had brought about, serious complications, especially in regard to ‘ the relieving teachers who began work on February 2nd, before the order was made. At this time of the year, owing to the resignations in December, a very largo amount of relieving work had to be arranged. No fewer than ninety teachers began temporary work on February 2nd, and a number of them had come from long distances, whilst some had been sent over from Christchurch to the West Coast. Were those teachers to be instructed to remain in the vicinity of their respective schools, or were their relieving engagements to be cancelled. The order gave no information as to how long the schools would remain closed. This now being dependent upon whether influenza decreases or increases in severity. A great deal of inconvenience would havo been prevented, and a large expenditure avoided if the Health Department in Wellington had issued the order earlier, or given the board some intimation that - such. » course might have been taken. in many cases permanent teachers iiad travelled long distances, in order to resume their work, whilst parents generally had also returned from visiting their friends, so that their children should bo ready for school.