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36
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE ATTENDANCE
AND BYE - LAWS DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR
ENDING MARCH 31st, 1920.
The school attendance of children has considerably improved during
the past year, the number on the school rolls being 25,905 and the
percentage attendance 87.5. This must be considered satisfactory in view
of the prevalence of epidemics, especially among the infant children,
which very considerably brought down the percentage of attendance.
The Bye-Laws Sub-Committees met on 35 occasions for the purpose
of interviewing the parents of scholars who were irregular in
their attendance at school. The number of cases investigated was 1,178.
Prosecutions had to be instituted in 268 cases. Fines amounting
to £65 12s. 6d. were inflicted and Attendance Orders made in 88
cases.
Under Section 11 Sub-Section 1 of the Act of 1876, four boys
were sent to the North London Truant School.
Under the Children's Apt, 1908, 8 children were charged at the
Police Courts, 2 boys were committed to Industrial Schools.
Some time since the District Council transferred the administration
of the Employment of Children Act, 1903, to the Education
Committee. A large number of school children have been employed
in casual work out of school hours. The new suggested Bye-Laws
are much more stringent and will, to a very large extent, modify this
sort of employment. 2,519 reports of illegal employment of children
have been considered, 141 summonses have been issued and fines and
costs amounting to £100 9s. inflicted.
There are in residential schools for physically defective children
seven blind, five crippled, one deaf, one suffering from heart disease, and
five mentally defective.