CHILDREN'S LUNCHES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22076, 4 April 1935, Page 13

CHILDREN'S LUNCHES

WHITE OR BROWN BREAD COMPLAINT BY BAKERS "TEACHER'S INTERFERENCE" "The suggestion was probably made with the best of intentions, but it was a foolish thing for a teacher to interfere with lunches provided by parents for their children," remarked Mr. T. U. Wells, chairman of the Auckland I Education Board, when a complaint was received at yesterday's meeting of ! the board that a teacher had dictated to pupils what sort of food they had to eat. It was alleged the teacher concerned told the pupils they must eat brown bread, and not white. The complaint was received from Mr. S. S. Green, secretary of the Auckland Master Bakers and Pastrycooks' Association, who forwarded a letter from a parent stating that his child, after dropping a piece of cake in a passage at school, had to write out an imposition,. "I must have fruit only in my play lunch." It was stated the children were told they must bring brown instead of white bread to school.

"We would respectfully ask that teachers be requested not to interfere in the matter of children eating bread and cake," stated Mr. Green. When interviewed, it had been stated by Dr. McGill, of the School Medical Board, that no instructions regarding the consumption of white bread had been issued from his department, although a circular issued by the Dental Department recommended the consumption of wholemeal bread, and asked for a prohibition of rich cake and pastry. Dr. McGill agreed that wholemeal bread was not obtainable, and said that good white bread was equally as good, if not better than the "wholemeal" as it was known in the Dominion. As far as block cake was concerned he agreed that its ingredients had nutritive value. The board decided to refer the matter to the headmaster of the vhool concerned.