EFFECT ON THE CHILDREN

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 89, 12 October 1920, Page 7

EFFECT ON THE CHILDREN

SCHOOL. COMMITTEES' PROTEST.

Some aspects.of the cost of living came up for discussion at the meeting last night of the School Committees' Association.

A fetter was read from the NorthlandCommittee, stating that it was calculated that each child consumed about a box of butter every year, but the increased price in the coat weighed very heavily on parents, and already several children, were suffering from "malnutrition. , f The Minister of Education wrote, in regard to th« association's protest against the penal clauses in the Public Health Act regarding the responsibility of parents to look afto the health of their children, that; the provision is alread'V in forco under tho Education Act, and i"s merely being .transferred to the Public .Health Act. It had been in force for y.ears, and had not resulted in amy hardship on the parents. No action was taken in, regard to the medical treatment question. As to butter, a member of the association said the extra charge on the parents amounted to about half a million a year. In some. families the cost of butter per head" ofthe children was aliout £20 a f year. It was a serious thing that such an important article of child food should be placed above their reach.

If I could get the women,, to follow me not a box of butter would be loaded on to a boat for export," said Mrs. Snow? A member of the association said the farmer's life was not what they believed it to be. _ Some of them could scarcely make a living, and as to tho townspeople, he said if they sent their children to play in. the fields instead of to the pictures they would have more money to pay for butter. ■-","•'

Mrs. East said that for years the farmer had been "spoonfed," and his work was nothing like as: arduous as formerly. Doptors ordered plenty'of H)il(ji and butter, but that order could not be carried ous with regard to butter at its present -price. She urged the imposition of an export tax and that sufficient but-' ter be kept in New Zealand for thiC use of our own people. Mr. Patersou moved: "That this association entd^'s a strong protest against the increased price of butter, which will mean that the childz-en will be deprived of an important, aiticle of food, and calls upon the Primf Minister and members of Parliament to protect our children against the proposed action."

Mr. C. W. Tantiev said.that the. Government had never rtiade an attempt to reduce the cost of essential article? of food. Most of the sickness in the school.* came from malnutrition owing to the increased cost of food. The money made by farmers had been largely made from profits on the sale of land, and the people who paid the high prices were tha ones who suffered. Mr: SuniJo contended that when butter was 2s lOd per ib thera would not be a. pound less per head consumed. Members: "Nonsense." Mr. Saudd added "that it was beneath the dignity of the association tv talk, about direct action-and to do anything calculated to >tir up industrial strife. AHw furV-W (tipcuwion tjie motion was carried. ■- ' ■ t