BOYS AND CIGARETTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12282, 28 May 1903, Page 5

BOYS AND CIGARETTES.

[BY telegraph.— CORRESI'ONDENT.] Wellington, Wednesday. The universal cigarette was the subject of a brief discussion amongst members of the Wellington Board of Education to-day. The Masterton School Committee sent down an extract ffW the Masterton headmaster's report, complaining that vendors were allowed to sell cigarettes to boys, and Upon this there ensued a general conversation as to the properties of cigarettes. One member observed that it was a, matter of comment in passing through the streets that little boys hardly as high as the board table could be seen smoking. The chairman observed that while he was in a Chinaman's shop the other day getting some fruit a little boy came in with the demand, "a cigarette, John?" and put down a halfpenny, for which he got his cigarette. Members appeared to regard as a sheet anchor Mr. Field's Juvenile Smoking Suppression Bill, which was introduced in last Parliament and lost in the general slaughter at the end of the session, but as Parliament is not just now in session the Board went on to the next item on the order papei. Before this was done, however, Mr. Hogg expressed the view that the exhibiting of placards in the schools calling attention to the consequences of cigarette smoking on the part of boys might do sonte good.