SCHOOL FACILITIES

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 190, 20 August 1935, Page 2

SCHOOL FACILITIES

For Sanatorium Children

THE QUESTION OF TRANSPORT

EDUCATION BOARD & PARENTS

The conference held in Waipukurau last night between representatives of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board and the Waipukurau District High School Committee also the Home and School League was attended by a deputation representing parents on the staff of the Waipawa Hospital Board with children attending the Waipukurau School from the Pukeora Sanatorium.

Messrs G. A. Maddison (chairman), W. Cuthbertson (Ward member) and W. L. Dunn (secretary) represented the Education Board. Mr. W. Cuthbertson, explaining the purpose of the deputation, said that he had invited the Waipawa Hospital Board to be represented. He had found that the chairman could not attend, nor any member approached, or the secretary-manager. The lack

of response to his efforts in this connection, it being desirable that those concerned should get together, was very disappointing. He considered that the Hospital Board should take some interest in the education of the children at the Sanatorium. The speaker referred to the interest the Education Board's chairman had taken in the important matter of providing school children with milk, which movement would afford relief to the hospital authorities inasmuch as the health of children would be bettered. He regretted the attitude taken up by the Hospital Board members in > this matter.

Dr. G. Maclean (Medical Superintendent of Pukeora Sanatorium) said that he also regretted that the Hospital Board was not represented at

the conference. The board, he stated, does not now . provide a service from the Sanatorium for the staff and scholars on the I same lines as previously obtained. The vehicle of the present time was not large enough for the conveyance of all the children, not being as large as was the case under the Government's control. The married men felt that there was an obligation on the part of the Hospital Board in respect of the staff's children. The conditions of payment were 6d per day per child. The speaker said that he was in a more favourable position than the parents generally in regard to transport for his own children, but he sympathised with their aims. ’ It. was stated by a member of the deputation, in reply to the board chairman's enquiry, that £2OO per annum is paid by the Hospital Board to the contractor for his general service.

Mr. F. N. McVicar endorsed the sentiments that had already been expressed and said he would have liked to ask some question had Hospital Board members been present. He said that even 3d per day per child would be too much for some parents to pay, and stated that sev-

eral concessions to parents previously enjoyed had been withdrawn of late and their incomes reduced. He mentioned that some members of the staff were ratepayers in the Hospital Board's area. The vehicle at present engaged in the contract was too small for all the needs.

Mr. Dunn said that the contractoi was asking for £lO4 per annum for the conveyance of the scholars. Dr. Maclean said that the present vehicle was only big enough to carry school children on the trips from the Sanatorium to Waipukurau.

Board Chairman’s View.

Mr. Maddison expressed regret that the Hospital Board was not represented at the conference, which concerned the education of the children. He did not consider the establishment of a school at the Sanatorium would be suitable educationally or economically. The cost of a teacher would be some £2OO per annum, and the same degree of satisfaction could not be given as in the case of the larger school centre. He could not under - stand why the contractor wanted lid to 1/- per child when parents could travel both ways for Bd. It was his view that a straight-out grant should be sought at say 8d per child per day. He suggested that the deputationists confer with the contractor on , the subject.

I Dr. Maclean thanked the chairman ' of the board and Mr. Cuthbertson for i the courtesy extended to the mem-

bers of the deputation. j It was agreed that £BO should be from the Education Depart-

ment as a grant towards the conveyance of Pukeora children to and from the Waipukurau School, (