HEALTH OF CHILDREN.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 282, 27 November 1919, Page 12

HEALTH OF CHILDREN.

A STATEMENT REFUTED. AUCKLAND DEFECTS NOT ABNORMAL. MINOR TROUBLES EXAGGERATED. SLAVE CHILD MILKERS. COMMENT BY INSPECTOR. A matter of importance to parents, the general public, and to the education authorities was brought before the Auckland Education Board yesterday in the shape of opinions expressed by inspectors of the Auckland education district on the statement that an abnormal number of children in the Auckland district were physically defective. Mr. E. K. Mulgan, chief inspector, in bringing the matter forward, explained that he had not had time to prepare a report himself on the matter, but would do so when he had in addition received the reports of the district medical inspectors on the subject. All of the inspectors, in letters, discussing the statement, emphatically rejected the suggestion of an abnormal state of physical deficiency among the children of the Auckland education district. Most of the inspectors expressed an opinion to the contrary, as the result of their observations, saying that the children of to-day were stronger and healthier generally than those of a docade or more ago. One inspector wrote: "A large number of children certainly suffer from minor physical defects, but even in this'respect it seemed to be an exaggeration to use the word abnormal. He considered that proper remedial action with supervision by teachers and advice to parents, should do much to overcome these minor defects." MORE PHYSICAL DRILL NEEDED. Several of the inspectors, while declaring there was no ground for the charge against the general health of the children in the district, expressed strong opinion that insufficient attention wast given to physical drill and proper outdoor exercise, one or two of them commenting on the lack of enthusiasm in physical drill shown by a large number of teachers. One remarked: "There is no passion in our schools for health as health, the enthusiasm for games being merely in the games as games." SLAVES OF THE DAIRY. Emphasis was laid by some of the inspectors on the large number of defective teeth among the children, while 6ome powerful and searching criticism was passed on the way the health of children was detrimentally affected in some country districts, particularly where the children were used for milking before and after school. One report read: "Excessive farm work such as dairying has ill effects on children's health."especially respecting their eyes.! chests, physical development, and in the matter of nutrition." INSUFFICIENT SLEEP. Another inspector wrote -that quite a number of children in his district were suffering from want of sufficient sleep, and these unfortunates were invariably milkers. One girl told him she rose daily at 3.30 a.m., while the usual -thing for those unfortunate child milkers was to. rise at from 4 to 5 a.m., retiring at night I at from 8.30 to 9.30. He remarked that| these milking farmers' children were, little better than slaves, and many of them were ill-clad, and sometimes showed signs of a lack of bathing facilities, while the homes of these milking people, who rarely stayed two seasons in the same locality, were often notoriously lacking in proper conveniences and sanitary appliances. Another matter the same inspector drew attention to was tbe fact that a considerable number of children who were mental defectives were allowed to attend the public schools to the great detriment of the other children, while another point that had come under his notice was the increase of goitre amongst girls from 12 to 20 years of age. He was of opinion that too strenuous sports, basket ball in particular, was largely responsible. He believed that strenuous exercise had a bad effect on the heart action of some girls, and would like to see a medical report on the matter. One or two of the inspectors also criticised the insufficient fighting in many schools, one describing the lighting of several buildings as "shocking" AN UNWARRANTED STATEMENT Mr Mulgan himself expressed the opinion after reading the reports that there "was absolutely no ground for the statement that in the Auckland district there was an abnormal number of physically defective children. He added: "I think it was a highly improper thing foi anyone to make such a statement, w'aich is neither supported by statistics nor warranted by evidence." He added that there was a large number of minor defects, but he did not think the children suffering from minor physical defec-.s :n the Auckland district to be greater in proportion than in any other district, or in fact in any other part of the world. He suggested that the board defer consideration of the matter till he had presented a report, which he would prepare after receiving the medical reports, and that the board should then circularise all teachers, calling special attention to some of the matters enumerated. This couiße was adopted by the board.