CONVEYANCE OF CHILDREN

Southland Times, Issue 23544, 25 June 1938, Page 8

CONVEYANCE OF CHILDREN

SPECIAL INSURANCE NECESSARY CONCERN EXPRESSED BY EDUCATION BOARD The possibility of country children losing the advantages of manual training and dental treatment because of the requirements of the Transport Department was mentioned at the meeting of the Southland Education Board yesterday. It was stated that district settlers conveying children to the manual training centre and dental clinic were required to pay a substantial sum for insurance. The chairman (Mr S. Rice) said he, had been approached by several sc . tiers' in the Wyndham district who had been in the habit of conveying country children to the manual training centre and dental clinic. They had been informed that they were required to pay £3 18/- extra insurance and registration fees and they were not prepared to continue the transport any longer. This would impose hardship on the children. It was the duty of the board to place the position before the Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) with the suggestion that parents be placed in the same position as civil servants who, for a nominal sum, were covered by insurance when carrying their associates. The Transport Department also insisted that only seven children should be carried in a motor-car and that each child should have somewhere to sit other than someone’s knee. The authorities were not so strict with their own trains, as it occasionally happened that passengers had to stand on excursion trains. It was a serious matter if the children were deprived of receiving manual training and dental treatment because of the insurance and registration.

Mr F. G. Stevenson asked how many children would be affected.

The chairman said the position was the same in all parts of New Zealand. The Education and Transport Departments might well take up the question and find a solution. Mr W. Bell said the Teachers’ Institute had already raised the question.

The secretary (Mr H. T. Thompson) said that parents conveying their own children to school required both the ordinary warrant of fitness and a constructional certificate of fitness for their cars. This extra certificate cost 10/-.

The chairman said the position was absurd.

It was decided to request the Education Department to enter into negotiations with the Transport Department on the question.