MILK IN SCHOOLS

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 April 1938, Page 14

MILK IN SCHOOLS

WEST COAST ARRANGEMENTS After a delay of over twelve months, free milk is to be distributed to school children on the West Coast, under the Government’s scheme, as from May 24 next. The milk is to be obtained in Christchurch and, for a beginning, will be supplied to all schools in Greymonth, Cobden, Runanga and Hokitika. Final arrangements for the distribution were made at Greyniouth, last evening, when Messrs. W. A. Cowell, Milk Scheme Officer of the Department of Health, and J. Harris-, manager of the United Dairies, Christchurch, met the Milk-in-Schools Committee. Those present were Messrs. A. H. McKane (chairman), E. V. Ellery (Grey Main and Blaketown Schools), A. E. Morgan (Grey Main and Paroa), R. J. Armstrong (Runanga), T. E. Coates (Greyniouth Technical), B. Roper (Cobden Convent), Rev. Bro. Eugene. (Greyniouth Marist and Convent). Explaining the object of the meeting, Mr. McKane said that, for a start, Greymouth, Hokitika, Runanga, Cobden and Blaketown Schools would be supplied, but he hoped that, by this time next year, all the schools on the West Coast would be covered. All that was required by the Department was the co-operation of the teachers and school committees, to facilitate the delivery and return of the bottles, to ensure that the carriers would not be held up in any way.

Mr. Cowell outlined the scheme at length, pointing out that he had not been able to interest the local people when he first came to the West Coast, but that Mr. McKane had kept at him, and, as a result, he had been able to arrange with United Dairies, Christchurch, to supply 120 gallons of milk each day for Hokitika, Greymouth and Runanga. Milk was to be made available to all school children in New Zealand as soon as possible, and it would all be free. Pasteurised and bottled, the milk would leave Christchurch in an insulated truck at 6 p.m. edch day, arriving next day at 4 a.m., for delivery that morning. The contract for the delivery had been let to a contractor, Mr. J. Corcoran. Straws would be provided for each child. At present, United Dairies were supplying 23,000 children daily in Christchurch. In answer to questions, Mr. Cowell said there was no cost to the school committee. In regard to a local supply, he said that tenders had been called, but local dairymen were not interested. There was no charge on the schools for the delivery of the milk. No milk had to be returned, and if there was any over, it was to be given to the weaker children. Mr. Morgan, as secretary of the West Coast School Committees’ Association, expressed thanks to Mr. McKane for his efforts in bringing about the supply of milk. The chairman said that 3,400 names had gone forward from 30 schools and 23 schools had not replied to a circular sent to them. Most of them were near the railroad. At Rotokohu, the pupils were all farmers’ children, and had stated that they did not require milk. It was obvious that there would be over 4,000 children between Ross and Reefton when they all came in. Bell Hill and Nelson Creek had not been written to, because of the difficulty of access meantime. Rimu and Kokatahi had not been communicated with, owing to their being farming districts. The milk would be available on only four clays, as there was no train from Christchurch on Sunday nights. Mr. Cowell said that it would be August before all West Coast schools could be supplied. In some country schools the alternative scheme would probably be offered to them, namely free milk for cocoa made with milk from a registered dairy, or else malted milk from the New Zealand Dairy Company. The milk would be delivered before 10 o’clock each morning. The time of collection would be a matter for arrangement with the contractor.

In moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Cowell, the chairman said that he had cleared up the whole thing, and he hoped that all were satisfied. He was sure that all would be pleased that the scheme was commencing at the beginning of next term. Mr. Cowell had made final arrangements at Hokitika and would now proceed with Runanga.