§ Mr. McENTEEasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that many local education authorities are experiencing considerable difficulty in securing a proper attendance of children at school owing to the fact that many children are without boots, and as a consequence are kept at home by their parents; that some authorities have appealed to private charity to enable them to provide such boots, and that the response to such appeal, although generous, has proved to be totally inadequate to provide the boots that are necessary; and whether he will seek the necessary power to enable local educational authorities, in such circumstances, to provide from national public funds, under proper safeguards against imposition, the boots necessary for such children?
§ Mr. E. WOODI have received a few communications from local education authorities on the subject, but I have no evidence that many of them desire to undertake the supply of boots for school children out of public funds available for education. I cannot undertake to promote legislation for the purpose suggested.