PLIGHT OF MAORI CHILDREN

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25550, 19 July 1948, Page 6

PLIGHT OF MAORI CHILDREN

SOME UNDERCLOTHED AND UNDERFED POSITION AT TE KUITI DISCUSSED “The Press” Special Service TE KUITI: July 16. Some of the Maori children attending the Te Kuiti school were definitely inadequately fed and not properly clothed, said the headmaster, Mr B. H. Howes, speaking to the ParentTeacher Association. He was sure many had virtually nothing to eat before they came to school and neither lunch nor money to buy food with them. Cases, perhaps not quite so bad, had occurred in regard to pakeha children, but a quiet word to the welfare officer usually brought a good reaction. There seemed no adequate way of correcting the position in regard to the Maori children. Reference to “a line of crying children” was made by the infant mistress, Miss Turner. Saying that the real reason was malnutrition, she quoted cases of children coming to school with pieces of dry bread and nothing else, but many had nothing for lunch whatsoever. The possibility of the Maori tribal committee being able to help in the matter was mentioned in the discussion which followed. The deepest concern was expressed at the disclosures. It was agreed that the issuing of family allowances by way of orders for groceries, while it might help the position, could not directly remedy the lack of provision of lunches. A suggestion was made that if a tuck shop were started at the school orders might be made available to ensure that undernourished children at least received an adequate midday meal. The school had only an intermittent supply of milk from Waikeria, but the possibility of a full-time local supply was being investigated.