CHILD SLAVERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 201, 26 August 1930, Page 10

CHILD SLAVERY.

, • j WORK BEFORE SCHOOL. COMPLAINTS IN WELLINGTON REPLY BY MINISTER. ' : (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) i : WELLINGTON; Monday. I In reference to the discussion on the I subject of child labour at a recent j meeting of the Wellington' Education j Board, and subsequent relative questions addressed to him in .Parliamentj the Minister of Health, the Hoii. A; j: Stall worthy, has lost no time in reviewing the position. His main activities have' been in. the direction of further implementing the work of. the • school medical officers by closer,, and *" more definite co-ordination with; the ' Child Welfare branch of the Education. Department and also the Labour Department. Interviewed, to-day, Mr.'. Stallworthy outlined the position. "When school I medical officers," lie- said, "come upon I instances of excessive child labour, it ■ is customary to refer them for necessary action to the Child Welfare branch&of the Education Department to be dealt with by the local child welfare officer. Section 29 of the Infants Act, 1908, regulates for children street trading arid employment for the purpose of public entertainment. ; "Section 13 of the Child Welfare Act, 1925, states: On the complaint of any constable or of any child "welfare officer that any child is a neglected, indigent, or delinquent child, or is not under proper control, or is livint* j n arl environment, detrimental to its physical or moral well-being, any justice' may issue, his summons addressed v to " any person having the custody of the child reqii : : tig him to appear before a Childf>uit at a time to be named in Jf-S- _ i;:i!! "°us, either with or without tic m order, that the child may there u: 1 dealt with in accordance with iao prm ivlons of this Act. ■ • . . ' ■ '' ''' /n I'd*.- vf-.eo!" iijiMiij;! f ions. agree'- ' iH(.-nt>, i-ic., nicue .under- the •industrial*. ;conciliation and Arbitration "Act includij certain provisions against the harmful'; employment of children. Part i, of the | Wellington (25 miles radius) Dairy j Employees (Drivers or Distributors) I Award -states:. 'Youths; -Drivers--shall . *4 ■

not allow any boy : or youth on their carts, or allow them to assist in the i delivery of milk.' The Wellington City Council's Dairy Employees Award states: 'Youths, in the proportion of one j to three adult workers employed in the depot, may be employed in the depot, if -not under' 18 years of age, at the following weekly rates of pay, namely, up to 20 years of' age, £2 15/ per week; 20 to .21 years, £3 10/ per week.' Morning Hours of Work. . • The Shops and Offices Amendment Act, 1927, states: 'Ko shop assistant shall be, employed in connection with -the .business of any shop before the hour of three o'clock in the morning in the case of milkmen, or before the hour of four o clock in the morning in the case of butchers, or. bakers, or before the hour of seven o'clock in' the morning in any other, Notwithstanding, anything contained in the preceding sub-section, np boy, or girl under the age of 16 years shall be employed as . aforesaid before the hour of seven o'clock in the morn-' ,mg.' , there is no definite contract of employment,- however, as between a parent ■■ and child,... it... is, usual for action to be taken , under section 13 of the Child .Welfare Act,, above referred to. ; Section 45 of the Child Welfare . Act states that, the .Governor-General may from time to time, by Order in Council, make regulations regulating the employment of children (whether inmates of an institution under this Act or not) in street ■ trading and • places of public entertainment, and'also regulating and restricting, the attendance of children at places of entertainment.. . Further legislation has. been under the consideration of tlie . Child•: Welfare Department for some time with the object of giving a more comprehensive definition of the hours and conditions of child labour." J Standard of Health. The Minister said an. ' attempt was made in 1923 by the school niedical officers to elucidate the standard of health and the environmental conditions of school children in certain ■ districts. Groups of schools were selected representing children of coal miners, bush timber mill workers, dairy fanners in j Shriving communities'- and in remote cun?!trv areas. ■ Ghikli'en attending 25.: ■ iK.t>!.•'. in New Zealand were examined, ;u;d the 1 homes of 476 children visited. School progress was retarded in children of coal miners 12 per cent; timber mill workers 14 per cent;-farmers in thriving, areas" 21 per"cent, in remote farmingareas 11.5 per cent; share-milkers 26 per j .cent, - ..- . > .. ; . '.. J •••V"

In the third-group (thriving farniing I communities) with 21 per cent retar :itos, 25 per cent had less than ten ho® sleep; 19 per cent had more than tin - ?® | hours' work. In the fifth group (share milkers) with 26 per cent retardates,, per cent had less than ten hours sleep, IS per cent had more than three h work. It is remarked bv the medical officer that the amount ° done outside school hours.would, PP to have more effect on 0 ■ than on nutrition. Though chfidreu do work before and" after dq not compare unfavourably in ment with 1 others, their neivou . would not appear■ to be in . state, for retardation in sell more pronounced, and a s hovr of teachers is that such cj uld , signs of fatiguo in school i.. some cases, actually fall asleep. '• .*> .\r _ .. inl