ORDER RESENTED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20425, 2 October 1934, Page 13

ORDER RESENTED.

Children to Remain at Fendalton. EDUCATION BOARD DEFIED. A unanimous determination to. con tinue sending their children to the Fendalton School, in spite of the L arte rburv Education Board’s instruction to withdraw them, was reached last j night at a meeting of parents of chil- j dren attending the Fendalton School : from outside the official school district. Of 55Q children on the school roll approximately 170 come from outside the district, and the meeting iast evening was called by the School Committee ■ to consider what action should be taken in view of the ultimatum received from 1 the Education Board that such chilI dren should be withdrawn from the , school. About 200 parents we he present and j Mr A. E. Byrne, chairman of the School I Committee, presided. After a full dis- j cussion the following motion was carried unanimously: “ Having received a full explanation of the steps taken by the School Comfnittee to ensure the . continued attendance at the Fendalton School of children from outside the district, this, meeting of parents affected approves of such action and, having re- , ceived the assurance that accommoda- . tion at Fendalton is adequate, resolves j that the continued attendance of their children at Fendalton shall not be interrupted.” The negotiations that had taken place between the committee and the board between March 15 and September 25 were detailed by the chairman, who said he hoped the committee would be fair to the. board, which believed that it was acting conscientiously in the interests of all schools under its control. “ Out-of-date Boundaries.” After the boundaries had been explained by the chairman. Mr L. C. Byers said he thought the boundaries were out-of-date. He lived outside the j district, but was much, nearer to the ; Fendalton School than to the Wharenui School. Mr C. Sellars said the Fendalton , School had grown because of the i energy and enthusiasm of the head j master and the staff, and also by the fact that parents had spent generously i in providing improvements at the school. He considered that the boundaries should be adjusted to meet the j present requirements of the population. Another parent stated that on the | advice of a doctor he had taken his j child from a certain city school and j sent him to the Fendalton School. The j child had benefited immensely by the | change, but now he was expected to j take the boy away and send him back j to undesirable surroundings. Mr J. Cruse said he did not think the board's authority could be defied. Dr Robinson Hall, speaking as a parent. supported the resolution. He said he believed that if a test case were brought the action of the School Com mittee would be vindicated. Mrs Gourlay expressed the opinion that parents should stand firm and i refuse to send their children elsewhere. On the mciticn of Dr If. F. Widdow- j son a vote of thanks was passed to the j committee for the manner in which it ; had handled the matter with the board.