EXCESSIVE CHILD LABOUR

Hawera Star, Volume L, 27 August 1930, Page 10

EXCESSIVE CHILD LABOUR

ECU GOT PROGRESS RETARDED. MEDICAL OFFICERS’ OPINIONS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 25. In reference to the discussion on Luild l lacoar at a recent meeting of the Wellington Education Board, the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, has outlined the general administrative. position. When school medical officers in the course of their duties came upon instances of excessive child labour, lie said, it- was customary to refer them for the necessary action to the child welfare branch of the Education Department to be clealt with by the local child welfare officer. Clause 1. section 29, of the Infants’ Act, 1908. regulates for children street tarding and employment for the purpose of public entertainment. Section 13 of the Child 'Welfare Act, 1925, provides that on the complaint of any constable. or any child welfare officer that a child is neglected, indigent, delinquent, not under proper control or living in an environment, detrimental to its physical or moral well-being, any justice may issue a summons addressed to any person having the custody of the child, requiring him to appear before the children’s court in order that the child may be dealt with on accordance with the provisions of the Act. The Minister cited other specific provisions in awards, recommendations, agreements. etc., made under the- Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act against the harmful employment of children. Where there is no definite contract of employment, as between parent and child, it is usual for action to he taken under section 13 of the Child Welfare Act.

LEGISLATION PROPOSED. Further legislation has been under the consideration of the Child- Welfare Department tor some time with the object or, giving a. more comprehensive definition of hours and conditions of child! labour. The Minister said an attempt was made in 1928 by school medical officers to elucidate the problem of the standard of health and the_environmental conditions of school children m certain districts'. Groups of schools were selected representing the children of c-oal miners. bush timber mill workers and dairy fanners in thriving communities in remote country areas. Children attending 25 schools in New Zealand were examined and the homes of 476 children were visited. School progress was retarded in the children of coal miners 12 per cent., timber mill workers 14 per cent., farmers in thriving areas 21 per cent., in remote farming areas 11.5 per cent., share milkers 20 per cent In the third group (thriving farming communities) with 21 per cent, retardates. 25 per cent-, had less than ten hours’ sleep -and 19 per cent, had more than three hours’ work. In the fifth group (share milkers) with 20 pea- cent, retardates, 24 per cent, had less than 10 hours’ sleep and 18 ]>er cent had mere than three' hours’ work. It is remarked by the school medical < ffioers that the amount of work done outside school hours would appear to have more effect on school progress than un nutrition. Though Children who do wot-k before and after school hours do not compare unfavourably in development with others, their nervous system would not appear to be- in as good a state, for the retardation in school work is more pronounced and a common '•e-mark of teachers is that such children show signs of. fatigue in school, and in some enses actually fall asleep.