TRUANCY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2193, 18 May 1908, Page 3

TRUANCY.

NEED FOR AN OFFICER.

During the annual meeting of the jjiFL Hawke’s J3av Education Institute on Saturday, Mr. F. J. Rowley, Headmaster of tlio Gisborne School, drew attention to the fact that a large number of children in this district were not receiving any education at all,, which was largely accounted for by the absence of a truant officer in Gisborne. The secretary (Mr. Holmes) explained that he had seen Mr. Crawshaw (secretary to the Board) in Napier, who had told him that the Board had re-considered this matter and made such arrangements that the matter would receive more attention m the future. Ho thought, however that if a number of cases were brought before the Court it would have a satisfactory effect, Mr. Crawshaw had told him that it was estimated that the salary and expenses of a truant olficcr would cost £IOOO. Ti£ moved that the Hawke’s Bay Education Board ' be written to re truancy, pointing out that many children were not attending school and that regular attendance was largely interfered with, and a vigorous crusade against tiuants should he instituted. Mr. Marshall thought the present system worked well if it was only pressed further. , . ~ ... The chairman said that so long as truancy was managed by a member or the Board’s office staff the position would remain unsatisfactory. secretary of the Board had promised to come to Gisborne lor months to deal with several special eases but he had not arrived yet. Ihcy should have a properly appointed truant o h- ", , tor for Gisborne and Napier d stnets. Gisborne could be done, .ho ftlfc sl '°’ for £SO. It was done in ot ci stricts, and could bo done m th«. There were a large number of children here, for instance, who wcie.not • . on the roll. The teachers wore not • police officers, and it was not Gen f. duty to get them on the r " ll ;. lt * l e ' V V did they would neglect then ot.hu work. With a special ohcc therc was no reason why the distucts at tendance should not be nc.ti .; V He did not believe in any M .isn - '-X') effort, lint the work should ho don* “"ir!'Holmes, 1 Unlock Nmth. tinned that a committee in J' l! » . had taken up the rosit.ou that t.was their duty to see that all elnldrcu a wore on the roll, and the result was Evil a marked improvement t:M . Mr. Wauehop suggested t at 1 y -add a recommendation hat a n-m f;\ 1 officer, apart from the clerical Malt ' the Board should be appended rg The motion as amended wa, carncu. If 1 Mr. Bull moved that tho committee s>. of management draw the attentio ' - the Board to the fact that the clause of T\ the lEducafion Actire exceptions 'fiom $ ■ school attendance, had l I become a dead letter. He explained that it was only those people who sen their children to the Government schools came under supervision, wimi< st those who sent their children to y, private school, did not. lie thought . this ‘inequality should be removed. !?' , 'Flie chairman agreed to the suggostio’n which was caryieg.