WORK BEFORE SCHOOL

Hawera Star, Volume L, 21 August 1930, Page 4

WORK BEFORE SCHOOL

HARDSHIPS ON CHILDREN. BOYS ASLEEP AT DESKS. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 20. The employment of school children iu the early hours of the morning before attending school was brought to the notice of the Wellington Education Board to-day, when it was stated that boys were up as early as 2 o’clock in the morning to go on milk rounds, and in consequence had been found asleep at their desks at school. It was further affirmed that the practice existed in many places in Ncv" Zealand and was not peculiar to Wellington. Inquiries are to be pursued. An official report upon visits to schools had been made in committee and it was during the amplification of that report that the discussion arose, the chairman agreeing to the publication of tne general discussion. A visit had been made to a school in the suburbs and a brief talk given to the children in the upper standards. It was noticed that one boy went to sleep at his desk. The visitor remarked to the boy as he went away: “You are tired, aren’t you?” “Yes,” replied the boy, “I have beeu up since two o’clock this morning.” Another boy sitting close by followed by remarking: “Yes, and I was up at half-past 2 m >> Further inquiries revealed that the boys were employed in the early hours on a milk round and had done four or five hours’ work before going to school.