FOOD FOR CHILDREN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21553, 26 July 1933, Page 10

FOOD FOR CHILDREN

BALANCING THE NATION MILK AND WHOLEMEAL BREAD ADVICE BY LORD BLEDISLOE Tho value of pure milk and wholemeal bread in tlio diet of oliildren was stressed by the Governor-General,' Lord Blcdisloe, when addressing a gathering at the Community Sunshine School yesterday. Included in tlid audience were mothers of some of the children who are receiving the benefit of special treatment at the school. "I note with special interest that each child is given a pint of milk a day," said His Excellency, "and that leads mo to express the view that a very large number of children, who are supposed to bo suffering from malnutrition during this period of extreme economic stress, arc not so much suffering from lack of food as the ingestion, the consumption of unsuitable food without due regard being given to a properly balanced ration. Every good farmer knows how to balance the ration for his stock, but there are very few parents, even farming ones, who know bow to balance the ration for their children. "Pure milk is one of the few complete foods with which nature endows us. Authorities tell ns that every normal child should, if possible, consume a pint and a-half of milk a day. I am told that in many of the homes from which these children come it is not the custom, and is thought to be impossible, to supply them with more than a quarter of a pint of milk a day. I am led to inquire what food is being purchased to replace the balance of the milk ration they should have. I cannot lielp thinking, from my experience of an industrial district in England, that a good deal of tho food given in preference to milk is far less valuable in nutritive value, especially if it takes the form of made-lip foods. Bread and Teeth "There is no more solid food than wholemeal bread, i particularly mention that as so many children suffer front defective teeth. One of the few food constituents which go to maintain and repair the enamel of the teeth is to be found in that portion of flour that is taken out to make a white loaf. "If only parents received'instruction at the hands of the State as to how scientifically to feed their children, not only would there be far more healthy young lives in this country, but also a less onerous burden would be thrown on philanthropic people like yourselves in remedying these defects, and an infinitely smaller burden would be thrown on the State in seeking to remedy in various "institutions the results of domestic neglect in early life. I am glad to know that Nurse Wright is carrying some of this information into the homes of the children and 1 wish her all possible success. Importance of Prevention "The longer I live the more convinced 1 am that it is far truer economy to take steps by education and otherwise to prevent the effects of disease and mental and physical deficiency among our young people than to attempt in institutions to cure these defects later. If only some benefieient tyrant could come into your midst without evoking suspicion and could effectively control for a time the educational and domestic activities of New Zealand along the lines of preventing the development of physical and mental deficiency, it would bo about the finest investment this country could get. "Why should there be a deficiency of milk for the children of this country? This country is suffering from a glut of milk. The Old Country wants to put restrictions on our produce. Would it not be possible for some temporary superorganisation to deflect some of that milk down tho throats of the inade-quately-nourished and delicate young people? It is oiic of the problems that troubles my mind a great deal. I wish some genius would teach us not only how to reorganise the world so that there would be a sufficiency of requirements without, loss to the producers, but would be clothed with such authority as to make the reorganisation effectual.''