FREE SCHOOL BOOKS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2769, 26 March 1910, Page 3

FREE SCHOOL BOOKS.

TAKING THEM HOME. (Per Press Association.] .iv.cKLAi\D, March 24. The troubles that have gathered round the inauguration of the free class books scheme do not ecem to have been completely cleared away. A protest is now being made against the Board’s intimation that the books cannot bo taken home by the pupils. Such a protest was heard at yesterday’s meeting of the Auckland Education Board from the Thames Committee. The chairman (Mr. Parr) said it was abundantly clear that the books could not be allowed to be taken home by the children. The grant was sufficient- to provide only one Reader, and that must be kept in the schools, otherwise it would be subjected to damaging treatment, and there would bp no funds to replace it. He adhered to the opinion -that the free grant business was a farce, and was not wanted. Parents, he believed, would prefer to buy the books themselves. “The whole thin" is in such a muddle,” Mr. Parr added, “that the Minister should remodel the basis of the grant.” A resolution was passed regretting that the conditions of the grant would not allow the books to be taken from school, as the set of supplies must last more than one year.”