E.—l

20

The amounts paid on this account for railway fares in the years 1915-16 and 1916-17 were as follow : — 1915-16. 1916-17. £ £ Primary pupils ... ... ... ... ... 10,124 10,224 Pupils attending— (a.) Secondary schools ... ... ... 3,297 3,076 (6.) District liigh schools ... ... ... 1,260 1,143 (c.) Technical schools ... ... ... ... 2,238 2,361 £16,919 £16,804 Education Boards are also authorized to make provision when necessary for the conveyance of pupils to primary schools by road or water. In the case of a child being compelled to live away from home to attend school, provision is made for a boarding-allowance of 2s. 6d. a week. The matter of increasing this allowance to ss. a week is at present under consideration. The total amount paid in 1916-17 to Education Boards for conveyance by road and water and for board of children was £9,899, as against £9,119 in 1915-16. The combined amount paid for conveyance by rail, road, and water and for board of children in attendance at public schools during 1916-17 was therefor £26,703, as against an expenditure of £26,038 for the previous year. Glass-books and School and Class Libraries. During the year grants were given for establishing and maintaining school and class libraries. These grants came 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 with supplementary continuous readers in sufficient numbers for class-reading in P to S6 inclusive, and also for the free supply of class-books in necessitous cases or in cases where a newly entered pupil had already purchased elsewhere classbooks different from those in use in the school. After provision was made for the supply of such books, the balance of the grant, if any, was spent on approved books suitable for individual reading in school or at home. From representations received during the year it appeared that parents in necessitous circumstances and those who moved from one district to another were probably not receiving the full benefit of the provisions made on their behalf. In consequence Education Boards were requested to draw the special attention of teachers to the fact that free class-books were available in such cases, and the replies received from the Boards showed that this was done. It is impossible to say whether all parents entitled to the privileges receive them. It would appear that they do not, although public attention has on several occasions been drawn to the matter. (b.) Further to encourage school libraries provision was made for the payment of subsidies of £1 for £1 on moneys raised by voluntary contributions for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, or increasing the utility of school libraries that contained books suitable for individual reading in school or at home. In addition to this departmental subsidy a subsidy is payable by the Education Board under section 37 of the Education Act, but in this case the Board is not required to pay a sum exceeding 3d. for each child in average attendance at a school, or exceeding £5 for any one school. The books purchased are to be suitable for individual reading in school or at home, and are to be approved by the Senior Inspector.