School Bd. Wants Move On Smoking

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30542, 10 September 1964, Page 16

School Bd. Wants Move On Smoking

(New Zealand Press Association)

NAPIER, September 9.

“World-famous athletes are prostituting their sporting ability by promoting smoking,” the Napier High School Board of Governors was told last evening.

The acting board chairman (Dr. E. H. J. Berry) made the remarks when proposing recommendations calling for “a more realistic attitude by the Health and Education Departments towards the evils of smoking.” Dr. Berry sought board approval for motions asking teaching staff to confine their smoking to their own staff quarters, and asking the Education Department to carry out a more vigorous campaign in schools to educate pupils about the evils of smoking. The board adopted the recommendation calling for a more vigorous education campaign against smoking and the other motion was withdrawn. Dr. Berry said he felt it was the Education Depart-

ment’s responsibility to educate present pupils about the evils of smoking. “We, as a board, have limited resources in comparison to the department,” he said. More Deaths “Frequently we see Health Department advertisements as a campaign against diseases.

but no anti-smoking campaign has been started.” He said campaigns for road safety were always undertaken, but smoking caused four times more deaths a year than did road accidents—and nothing was done. He said he thought the evils of smoking should be impressed upon secondary school children. “I regret to say the worldfamous athletes in this country are prostituting their sporting abilities by promoting smoking,” he said. “It is time for the department to start something in the schools. Anti-smoking leagues have been formed in some British schools and the results have been amazing,” he said.