BACK-BLOCKS' CHILDREN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 17110, 11 October 1917, Page 6

BACK-BLOCKS' CHILDREN.

EDUCATION UN!)L.. DIFFICULTIES

UNDESIRABLE ACCOMMODATION

Some of the difficulties attendant upon the education o f children m uS C ? dlStrkts Were bl>ouSht p 5 v ™-n? tls? ot the -Education Board by Mr A. E. Joblin last ni S ht.

CRAMPED QUARTERS

The first case Mr Joblin referred to was that of 14 to 16 children in tho Upper iurakina district,. who "were taught .in a- room. Si feet by 10, tfu, lean-to ot a hall, with a ceiling so low fe i! c .sP eaker declared he had no difficulty in touching it with his liana when he stood up. An iron roof made the conditions very bad in summer lhere was no ventilation or draina^ Lhe environment was wretched. He considered the children should be taken out of it. •

■The chief inspector (Mr T JB Strong) admitted that tlie condition:, were not satisfactory, but considered the hall could be used instead of the lean-to.

On Mr Joblin's motion it was decided to apply for a schp.ol and site, the matter being referred on to the chief inspector. •■■■■.-. ,

A USEFUL STABLE

_ Mr Joblin next referred to a stable ill a country district whk(ii for the past twenty years had been used as the school. " On one ade are the children, he said. "On the other side are the horses."

A SETTLER'S DISABILITY

The third case of educational hardship Mr Joblin referred to concerned a, settler's family who lived 5^- miles from a school. The oldest of the children, aged nine, had not as yet seen a school. One suggestion was that a conveyance should be provided for the children.

The chairman eyplained in regard to conveying children to schools that 6d a day per pupil was allowed, and the Government :dso gave a £ for £ subsidy towards any money subscribed for the purpose. Eight or ten children were conveyed to the Feilding School under tilie arrangement.