CONVEYANCE OF PUPILS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25175, 16 March 1943, Page 5

CONVEYANCE OF PUPILS

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER A deputation from the Waitaki High School Board of Governors, comprising Major H. S. Orbell (chairman), and Messrs J. C. Kirkness, W. M. Cooper, W. Kinder, H. Grocott, D. V. G. Smith (secretary), and Flank Milner (rector), and Miss J. B. Wilson (principal of the Girls’ School), waited on the Minister of Health (Mr A. H. Nordmeyer) yesterday afternoon to place before him representations concerning anomalies in the conveyance of pupils to intermediate schools. The speakers pointed out to Mr Nordmeyer that pupils attending denominational schools were provided with transport which was denied country children who wished to attend intermediate schools. They did not wish to undermine the existing facilities for denominational schools, but asked for equal facilities to chldren attending State schools. The rector and lady principal were very anxious to have these facilities extended to intermediate schools, but the board considered the reply of the Minister of Education (Mr H. G. R. Mason), to their representations unsatisfactory. There were numerous anomalies in the transport system; and with a relatively small increase in transport facilities a very much larger number of country children could have the benefit of educational facilities at intermediate schools.

Miss Wilson said 'that a great number of South Hill pupils attending the Girls’ Junior High School had a two and a-half to three miles’ journey each day. At least 80 were travelling by bicycle, and their position was becoming more difficult with the present small number of tyres available for Oamaru. Pupils attending the boys’ school were more fortunate, as a vehicle was provided for them. The town buses would not take the girls, and they had to walk. The parents of two girls (twins) attending the intermedite school paid £ls a year for bus fares, while on the same bus 14 children travelled to a denominational school free. These two children were living four miles from any school, and it meant that some were allowed to choose their school and others were not. No transport was provided for children in the Ardgowan section. Mr Milner informed the Minister that he was under the impression that if there was any space in a bus it was permissible to instruct parents to obtain tickets. He was wrong; they were not allowed to use that space. The intermediate schools in Oamaru had been overwhelmingly proved a success. The Labour Party had laid it down that there, must be educational parity between town and country, but a great number of children in the country who could reasonably be transported to intermediate schools, could not possibly get full education and were, in fact, deprived of intermediate education. Mr Smith had drawn up a scheme, on which he had been complimented, to give every facility to country children to attend intermediate schools. He hoped the Minister would remedy* individual grievances and yse his influence to see that a wider scheme was adopted. Mr Nordmeyer said that junior high schools had been established in Oamaru with the consent of the people, on the understanding that boys on the South Hill would be conveyed to the Boys’ School. It was unlikely that consent would have been given without that assurance. It meant anomalies, as boys with lesser distances were conveyed by bus, while girls who lived further out had to find their own means of conveyance. The same privilege of free rail transport from the Tokarahl-Ngapara district was continued to the bus service, which was an advantage to the children, because the bus service was more convenient. A larger issue had been raised by the deputatioh—that all children should be permitted to attend intermediate schools. That would create a number |of problems. The grading of country schools ' might suffer, and the children In the lower standards might not get proper attention.. His own personal opinion was that it would be wiser for children to attend intermediate schools, but that could be done only with the consent of the parents. It would mean a considerable increase in bus travel, and during war-time this could not be justified. That should wait until after the war. It was a matter for the final consideration of the Minister of Education, and he would put the deputation's views fairly to him. Abcut six children from Totara were affected by the anomalies in bus transport, but if by opening the door the number was increased to 40 or 50 a big problem would be created. Mr Nordmeyer was thanked for receiving the deputation.