2
REVIEW
ensure that the scheme serves the purposes for which it has been designed.
It is expected that there will be a very substantial increase in the number of families claiming assistance under the new scheme. A considerably expanded organisation is therefore necessary in the Social Welfare Department and, although additional staff is being recruited and trained, it will in consequence be necessary to pro- ceed to the full scheme by stages. The first stage starts in January 1971 when those families now receiving assistance in the form of foodstuffs will start to receive cash grants on interim scales prior to implementation of the full scheme early in the financial year 1971-2.
Besides alleviating immediate want, the new public assistance scheme has important social objectives. These include the promo- tion of better standards of health and nutrition, strengthening the bonds of the family, eliminating the need for any child or young person to contravene the law by having to work for gain because of financial hardship, and assisting parents to avail themselves of the increasing educational opportunities for their children.
In the field of education the emphasis until now has been on expanding the provision of primary school places. A further 37,443 primary school places were provided during 1970, and the total primary enrolment as at September 30 was 765,397. The target of providing a government or subsidised primary school place for every child of primary school age désiring one has now been achieved in overall terms. The next step is to ensure that these places do not go empty.
As a start it is proposed to abolish all fees in the generality of government and aided primary schools in 1971. Thereafter it is the intention to introduce legislation aimed at parents who un- necessarily withhold a child from school. Present thinking is that the Director of Education should be empowered to serve an order on the parents requiring the child's attendance at a nominated free primary school. There would be a right of appeal, but any subsequent breach of the order would render the parents liable to prosecution. If a child is withheld from primary school for economic