Oct. 5.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3169

Cook Islands.—Regulations as to Education.

LIVERPOOL, Governor.

ORDER IN COUNCIL.

At the Government House at Wellington, this second day of October, 1916.

Present:

His Excellency the Governor in Council.

I, ARTHUR WILLIAM DE BRITO SAVILE, Earl of Liverpool, Governor of the Dominion of New Zealand, acting by and with the advice and consent of the Executive Council of that Dominion, do hereby, in pursuance of sections fifty-three and fifty-five of the Cook Islands Act, 1915, make the following regulations under that Act, and declare that the same shall come into operation in those islands on the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred and seventeen.

REGULATIONS.

1. In these regulations—

“Public school” means a public school established in the Cook Islands under section 51 of the Cook Islands Act, 1915:

“School district” means an area lying within a radius of three miles from a public school:

“School age” means any age not less than seven years and less than fourteen years:

“Guardian” means and includes in respect of any child—

(a.) The father of the child;

(b.) The mother of the child;

(c.) The adoptive father of the child;

(d.) The adoptive mother of the child;

(e.) Any person with whom the child lives, or who has in fact the care, custody, guardianship, or control of that child:

“Week” means the period elapsing between Monday morning and Saturday night.

2. If and so long as any child is of school age and resides in a school district it shall be the duty of the guardian or guardians of that child to procure the enrolment of that child on the register of a public school within that district, and to procure the regular attendance of that child at such school at all times when the school is open for the instruction of pupils.

3. Every guardian who without just cause or excuse fails so to procure the enrolment of a child shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £2.

4. Every guardian who without just cause or excuse fails so to procure the regular attendance of a child during any week shall be liable to a fine not exceeding 10s.

5. When a child has more than one guardian each guardian shall be severally subject to the foregoing obligations and liabilities.

6. In any prosecution for an offence against these regulations it shall be a good defence that the child was at the time to which the charge relates receiving regular education otherwise than at a public school and equivalent, in the opinion of the Court, to the education given in the public schools of the Cook Islands.

7. (1.) Notwithstanding anything hereinbefore contained, the head or sole teacher of a public school may for such period as he thinks fit, or during his pleasure, forbid the attendance of a child at a public school for any of the following reasons:—

(a.) Want of cleanliness:

(b.) Disorderly, insubordinate, or immoral conduct:

(c.) Danger of communicating a contagious or infectious disease.

(2.) A Resident Commissioner or Resident Agent may cancel any order so made forbiding the attendance of a child at a public school.

8. Notwithstanding anything hereinbefore contained, the head or sole teacher of a public school may for any sufficient cause grant temporary exemption to any child from attendance at the school.

9. (1.) A fee of 1s. per quarter shall be payable for every child attending a public school during that quarter or any part thereof.

(2.) Such fee shall be payable on the 31st day of March, the 30th day of June, the 30th day of September, and the 31st day of December in respect of the quarters ending on those days.

(3.) Such fee shall constitute a debt due to the Crown by the guardian of the child, and if there are several guardians they shall be jointly and severally liable therefor.

J. F. ANDREWS,
Clerk of the Executive Council.

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