MILK IN SCHOOLS

Press, Volume C, Issue 29558, 6 July 1961, Page 12

MILK IN SCHOOLS

Minister’s Denial

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 5. The Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) in the House of Representatives today denied he had ever prohibited figures being published from the survey on the milk-in-schools scheme. He was speaking in a discussion on Ministerial questions He had suggested, he said, that figures from individual groups in the survey be withheld until the nation’s combined figures could be released. The survey had been frustrating because, seeking an unbiased opinion, he had found that the national council of the Parent-teacher Association and the Milk Board had begun an intensive campaign for the milk scheme’s continuation Mr Tennent said the Labour Cabinet in 1959 decided to continue the scheme until March. 1962 "Is that vour policy?” asked the Minister. "Did you say you would review Social Security in three years?” He said that the previous Minister of Education (Mr Skoghtnd) had intended to take a survey of the scheme “As It Is Today” The majority opinion of committees and boards did not favour continuation of the scheme “as it is today.” said Mr Tennent

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash) said that Labour had never considered stopping the scheme. The Minister, he said, had every right to take a survey but with the Minister's interpretation of it he did not agree The Minister had talked of publicity favouring milk in schools, said Mr Nash, “but he condemned the scheme from the outset Is that not publicity?"

Mr Nash claimed that the scheme "is being stopped to save money to give awa. in other directions ”

He hoped the Government would do away with the idea of dropping the scheme.