MILK FOR SCHOOLS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 11, 13 July 1943, Page 4

MILK FOR SCHOOLS

MINISTER EXPLAINS

Reasons for the discontinuance, of the supply of milk to primary schools in Wellington were given in a letter to the Wellington School Committees and Educational Association last evening from the Minister of Health (Mr. Nordmeyer), who said it was unlikely that the scheme would be resumed until about the middle of this month. The letter was in reply to a resolution sent forward by the association, which expressed the opinion that the non-delivery of milk to schools was a retrograde step and requested that a full ration be made available, even if it meant the rationing, to some extent, of supplies to milk bars and other recipients. The curtailment of the supply of milk to school children in the Wellington district had been brought about by the unusual demands which had been made on the Wellington municipal supply for military purposes, said the Minister, and also by the seasonal fall in production, which had been further accentuated by the shortage of labour on farms, and also, to some extent, by decreased supplies of fertiliser available to the producers. FORCES AND MILK BARS. "I would mention that supplies to the military forces have had to be reduced considerably, as also have supplies to milk bars and similar businesses," continued the Minister. "The Municipal Milk Department has made considerable endeavours to increase the quantity of milk available, but it is understood that it is unlikely that the supply to schools will be resumed until approximately the middle of July. You may rest assured that it is the desire of the Government that there shall be as little interference as possible in the supply of milk to school children, but in the abnormal circumstances existing at present it is impossible to maintain continuity. "I am informed ttiat the Municipal Milk Department has made extensive preparations for an increased supply of milk to be available during the next winter season, but, as mentioned above, supplies at present available will not permit of the resumption of the school milk supply at present." On the motion of Mr. N. R. Seddon it was decided to thank the Minister for his reply and to urge him to give careful consideration to any future rationing of milk, with a view to the schools scheme being maintained on a rationed basis, rather than that the children should be the first to be (denied their milk and thus bear the brunt of such rationing, which could, with less harm, be borne by other sections of the community.