MALNUTRITION IN SCHOOLS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21578, 14 September 1935, Page 16

MALNUTRITION IN SCHOOLS

GOVERNMENT URGED TO TAKE ACTION FINAL MEETING OF RELIEF COMMITTEE A resolution urging the Government to conduct a searching national enquiry into the extent of malnutrition among school, children was carried at the final meeting of the Children's Relief Committee yesterday afternoon. The Children's Relief Committee was set up by the Mayor WJD.G. Sullivan, M.P.) several months ago after an investigation had bean made by Mr C. S. Thompson chaffman of the Canterbury Education Board, into the extent of' malnutrition among school children in Canterbury. At the committees final meeting yesterday Mr < Thompson presided and the Mayor was among those who attended. In reviewing the work done Mr Thompson said the committee considered that it had relieved a great deal of real distress. Hundreds of children unable to attend school through lack of clothing, boots, or shoes, were supplied, with these necessaries. Now, owing to the exhaustion of its funds, the committee was unable to continue its efforts. There were still a large number of children in urgent need, but the committee had no authority to overspend the amount of the donations received.

Goods Distributed During its working period it had distributed 2242 pairs of boots ana shoes among schools, together with a considerable quantity of clothing, the total value of which was £ 1350 12s sd. To this must be added gifts of boots and clothing valued at approximately £2OO. The balancesheet showed that £44 0s 4d had been spent in excess of the amount received.

It was encouraging to note, Mr Thompson said, that the Government was considering a supply of free milk to all* children in the primary schools, and the committee was of the opinion that this should be a national work, one which would be of great benefit to children in the schools.

Although there remained numerous cases of families without sufficient food, brought under the notice of the committee, funds were not available to deal with them and they had to be referred to the Metropolitan Relief Association.

Text of Resolution After discussion of the extent of malnutrition in the Dominion the following resolution was carried for submission to the Minister for Health (Sir Alexander Young):—

"To ascertain the position in the primary schools of New Zealand this committee requests that a searching enquiry be made with a view to determining the extent and incidence of malnutrition arising from -insufficient nourishment."

It was claimed during the discussion that the average figure for malnutrition over the whole of the Dominion conveyed no definite indication of the situation in individual localities. Work and Wages The committee added further that its experience was such that it felt it necessary to say that in view of the failure to provide work at a reasonable living wage for the unemployed, to enable them to provide sufficient of the necessaries of life for their families, local effort for the relief of distress was absolutely essential, and that it would be so until such work and wages were provided. The committee expressed its thanks to the public for its generous support of the appeal launched by the Mayor, and carried a vote of appreciation of the Mayor's work in making the appeal and assisting the committee.

Mr Sullivan expressed his appreciation of the services of the committee, particularly of its chairman, Mr Thompson, who' had given a great deal of time to the work and made it possible to relieve a large number of urgent cases. Mr Sullivan also thanked the public for its-response to the appeal.