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Conveyance of Children. Conveyance by Rail. —Since the year 1895 children out of the reach of a primary school, but living near to a convenient line of railway, have been granted free passes to the nearest public school or private school; in 1902 this privilege was extended to holders of scholarships and free places in secondary schools, district high schools, and technical schools ; and at the beginning of 1909 the same concession was granted to other secondary pupils who were compelled to travel by rail in order to attend school. The amount paid on this account for railway fares in the years 1913-14 and 1914-15 was as follows :— 1913-14. 1914-15. £ £ Primary pupils .. .. .. .. .. 4,044 5,095 Pupils attending— (a.) Secondary schools .. .. .. .. 2,752 3,285 (b.) District high schools .. .. .. 1,017 1,092 (c.) Technical schools .. .. .. .. 5,306 6,684 £13,119 £16,156 Conveyance by Road and Water. —ln addition to the provision for conveyance by rail, section 32 (1) of the Education Act provides that Boards may, where the necessity arises, arrange for conveyance by road and water. In districts in which the population is scattered and the necessary facilities are available due advantage has been taken of this section of the Act. An allowance is also made in aid of the board of any child who, on account of distance, is compelled to live away from home in order to attend a public school. Payment to Education Boards for expenditure incurred is made on the following basis :— (a.) 6d. per return trip for each child over seven years of age conveyed to the nearest public school; provided that the child's home is over three miles from the school by the nearest road. (b.) 6d. per return trip for each child over five years of age conveyed by ferry to enable him (or her) to attend a public school. (c.) 2s. 6d. a week for the board for each child over five years of age who through impracticability of conveyance has to live away from home in order to attend a public school; provided that the; home in which the child is boarded is distant from the school not more than two miles if the child is under ten years of age, and not more than three miles in any other case, and that the regularity of the child's attendance at school is at least 85 per cent. (d.) Half the amount expended by the Board on the conveyance (including ferrying) and board of all children over five years of age in excess of the allowances received under (a), (b), and (c). Riding-horses and bicycles are excluded from the means of conveyance on account of which the allowance will be made. The total amount paid in 1914-15 to twelve Education Boards for conveyance by road and water and for board of children was £7,204, as against £5,718 in 1913-14. The combined amount paid for conveyance by rail, road, and water and for board of children in attendance at public schools during 1914-15 was therefore £23,360, as against an expenditure of £18,837 for the previous year. Class-books and School and Class Libraries. During the year grants were given for establishing and maintaining school and class libraries. These grants come under two heads :— (a.) A capitation grant at the rate of 3d. per head on the average attendance was paid to Boards for the purpose of supplying schools

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