E.—2.

Conveyance of Children to Public Sehooh. The basis of payment made to Education Boards on account of the conveyance or board of children attending public schools is contained in the Department's circular memoranda of the 4th June, 1907, and the sth June, 1909, addressed to Education Boards, which are here reprinted for general information: — " Conveyance.— To assist Education Boards in making the arrangements for conveyance of children frum outlying Idealities to central public schools, contemplated by section 44 of the An [the Education Act, 1908], the Governmeni will make an allowance to Boards under the following conditions: — ■■ 1. No payment will be made for any child under ten years of age unless the distance from his home to the school is over three miles'by the nearest road, nor for any child of ten years of age or upwards unless the distance from his home to the echool is over four miles by the nearest "2. The system of conveyance may be organized or provided by the Board, by School Com mittees, by the residents of the localities concerned, or by individual parents. "3. In any system of conveyance organized or provided by the Board, or by School Com mittees, special consideration shall be given to the care of the younger children. "4. Riding-horses and bicycles are excluded from the means of conveyance on accouni of which the allowance will be made. "5. The Governmeni will make the same allowance in every approved case, ami the Boards, it is hoped, will endeavour to arrange SO that a possible excess in one case shall be met by a saving in another. " G. The allowance will 1* made at the rate of (Id. for each return trip, "return trip" meaning the conveyance of the child to and from school on one day. "7. The Minister will be prepared to consider on their merits eases of ferrying ami other special cases not covered or contemplated by these rules, and to make such allowances as the circumstances in each case may seem to require. "8. A similar allowance of 2s. (id. a week may, on the approval of the Minister, lie granted in aid of the board of a child who, through impracticability of conveyance, has to live away from home in order to attend a public school. " 9. Claims for payment of allowances are to be supported in each case by the head teacher's certificate in the form annexed. "10. This circular is in substitution for the previous circular upon the same subject, which is accordingly cancelled." [4th June, 1907.] In future no payment will be made for the board of any child unless such child has attended school at least 80 per cent, of the possible number of half-day attendances. If a child lias been entered on the roll of a scl 1 during the quarter for which the claim is made, information to that effect should be given on the claim for the allowance." [6th June, 1909.] Conveyance of School-children. —In 1909, £15,941 7s. Id., made up as follows, was paid for conveyance of school-children — viz. : (1.) Railway fares of pupils attending public schools, £4,124; of pupils attending private schools, £1,645 Bs.; of holders of free places attending district high schools, £1,367 10s. ; of holders of free places attending seoondary schools, £2.1!)S 13s. Id.; and of pupils, including holders of free places, attending technical schools, £3,850 10s. (2.) Grants for conveyance of school-children by road and water, £2,755 6s. —viz., Auckland, £241 14s. Bd. : Taranaki, £-1 135.; Wanganui, il-\ 'is. 3d.; Wellington, £222 12s. 3d.; Hawke's Bay, t;:::! :(s. 9d.; Marlborough, £•'! 18s. ; Nelson, £41 19s. id. ; North Canterbury, £533 2s. 3d.; South Canterbury, £368 12s. lid.; Otago, £861 3s. (id.; Southland, £371 4s. Id. Board of School-children. — In 1909, £137 LBs. 9d., made up as follows, was paid for board of school-children whilst attending public schools: Wellington. £10 55.; Nelson, £32 12s. (id.: North Canterbury, £44; South Canterbury, £35 10s. ; Otago, £15 11s. 3d. "School Journal." School papers comparable with the School Journal are published in four of the Australian States. In Victoria and South Australia they are published by the Education Departments. For some years the Queensland school paper was published by a private firm, but at the end of the year (1909) its preparation was undertaken by the Department. In New South Wales the paper is published by a private firm. In Victoria the paper is issued in three parts (for S. 111, S. IV, Ss. V and VI), in New South Wales in four parts (for I and 11, 111, IV, V and VI), in Queensland in three parts (for I and 11, HI and IV, V and VI), and in South Australia in three parts (for 11, 111, IV and V). The Queensland school paper is published only in alternate months, and each part contains thirty-two pages: in other cases the paper is published monthly, and each part contains sixteen pages. The School Journal is published monthly in three parts (for I and 11, 111 and IV, V and VI). Each of the lower parts contains sixteen pages, and the upper part contains thirty-two pages. In Victoria and New South Wales the papers are not issued during the month of January. The School Journal is not issued during the mouths of December and January, but ihe November issue is considerably enlarged to provide sufficient reading-matter until the schools close (generally about the middle of December). The school paper of South Australia may be termed the father of such publications in Australasia, having been published continuously since 1889. None of the Australian school papers are supplied free to school-children as is the case with the School Journal. In its aims and in the character and sequence of its articles the School J our mil differs materially from the other school papers above referred to—it aims at being instructive rather than recreative; the courses are more clearly defined, and are upon more rigid lines, and in the

39