SUMMER VACATION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XX, Issue 70, 6 March 1930, Page 5

SUMMER VACATION

A HEALTH MEASURE.

MEDICAL SUPPORT.

Considerable interest has been aroused by publication of the Attor-ney-General’s scheme to hold the long summer vacation in February and March, to enable full advantage to lie taken of the settled weather conditions Members of the medical and legal profession interviewed yesterday join with the educational authorities in supporting the proposal (states the “Dominion”). The views of the Director of the Division of School Hygiene (Dr. Ada Paterson) were expressed in the following view-s :— “For several years school medical officers have expressd the opinion that we make the greatest mistake in bringing children back to school early in February, the hottest time of the year. A windy and wet January is frequently succeeded by a sunny and relatively culm February, and children who hjve perforce spent much of their holiday time indoors wire, when school reopens, imprisoned in stifling classrooms. “In northern districts especially it is most desirable that the holidays be arranged to include at least the month of February. The outdoor life, with sea bathing and sun bathing, can then be indulged in to advantage. “If the annual holiday be not postponed as suggested, 1 fell confident that it would be worth while closing the schools until at least the middle of February. The improvement in the children’s health would more than compensate for the loss of a few weeks’ tuition.

“With our health camps for children our experience has beep that we get more sunshine by holding them in late summer and early autumn than in early summer. During a camp held at Levin some years ago a remarkable feature was that out of five weeks we had only two wet days. Ths camps closed just before Easter.”

Tho president of the Wellington District Law Society (Mr A. Wylie) said that as far as the legal profession was concerned the alteration proposed would undoubtedly b..e beneficial. “Whatever we wished to do, however,” he added, “would be entirely dependent, upon the Supreme Courtvacation which is at present fixed by Statute. Generally speaking, L am quite sure the profession would favour the change suggested. For some years now we have hail proof that the weather is more reliable in February anil March, and although we arc not prepared to lake the lead in the direction suggested, we would certainly fallow, if it were the general wish of the people to have the change made.”