E.—l

28. CONSOLIDATION OF SCHOOLS. No large-scale consolidations of schools have been recently carried out. This was partly on account of the necessity for avoiding capital expenditure on provision of new buildings at centres, and also because with a surplus of teachers available for employment, and in part depending upon rationed work, there was an objection to closing numbers of small schools and causing more teachers to be dependent on the rationed scheme. The consolidations that have been effected in the past, however, have continued in operation with satisfaction to the householders of the districts concerned. 29. CONVEYANCE AND BOARD OF SCHOOL-CHILDREN. A normal increase in the number of conveyance services for school-children took place during 1934, and, in addition, as from the commencement of the third term, it was found possible to reinstate the payment of boarding-allowance to primaryschool children where through non-existence of roads or other causes it is necessary for children to board away from home in order to attend a public school. Several extensions of conveyance services have been made to take the place of arrangements made by local residents or to provide for newly settled districts where sufficient accommodation is available at a central school. In renewing contracts for conveyance services special care has been taken to ensure that contractors provide suitable vehicles, with due consideration to both the safety and the comfort of the children. In addition, special attention has also been given, with the co-operation of the Transport Department and of the traffic officers of many of the County and Borough Councils, to the matter of ensuring the mechanical efficiency of vehicles engaged in conveying school-children. It has therefore not been thought necessary to bring vehicles used solely for the carriage of school-children within the scope of the-Transport Licensing Act, 1931, with respect to the requirements of certificates of fitness, and accordingly exemption was provided for in an Order in Council dated 3rd December, 1934.

Table V. —Cost of Conveyance of Pupils to Schools and to Manual Classes by Rail, Motor-vehicle, etc.

29

1933. 1934. Type of School. ' " ~ ' " Rail. Other. Total. Rail. Other. Total. ££££££ Public primary .. .. .. .. 1,613 59,417 61,030* 1,769 59,926 61,695 Private primary . . . • • • 1,868 . . 1,868 1,850 . . 1,850 Manual classes in connection with public 5,090 3,625 8,715 4,930 2,880 7,810 primary Manual classes in connection with private 112 .. 112 138 .. 138 primary Secondary departments of district high schools 1,207 687 1,894 1,183 715 1,898 Secondary .. . . . ■ • • 4,572 90 4,662 4,353 153f 4,506 Combined .. . • • • • • 513 .. 513 578 .. 578 Technical .. .. .. •• 5,833 .. 5,833 6,093 .. 6,093 Private secondary .. .. ■ ■ 892 .. 892 931 .. 931 Native .. .. •• 35 3,069 3,104 50 3,219 3,269 Totals .. .. •• 21,735 66,888 j 88,623 21,875 66,893 88,768 * This sum includes the expenditure on conveyance of children to consolidated schools and intermediate schools. f Cost of conveyance—intermediate departments of secondary schools. Board of children : Public schools, £711; Native schools, £826 : Total, £1,537.