TREATMENT OF SCHOLARS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10689, 8 September 1920, Page 6

TREATMENT OF SCHOLARS

» PROTEST FROM WHAKATANE. The Whakatane School Committee yesterday (says a Press Association message) resolved to forward to Mr Hockly, M.P., a strong protest against tho Legislature empowering medical inspectors of schools to compel parents to provide tho treatment recommended. Some of the speakers contended that the law would bo incomplete unless the cost of such treatment was dei frayed by the State, and declared that the proposal harshly penalised family men, many of whom wore unable to pay expensive medical fees. Tho committee also contended that the State which took youths compulsorily in war time should not dod?e tho responsibility of raising the children physi- : cally fit. j RESOLUTION AT TIMARTJ. I At a meeting of school committees ' in Timaru the following resolution vrna t passed: "That -this ' expresses satisfaction at the interest shown by the Minister for Public Health in the welfare of school .children, as the children constitute one of the/most valuable assets of tho State, and that I whilst approving of tho compulsory examination of children, wo consider that parents should be safetruarded by j tho schedule of charges under which ; tho schemo be carried out, so that no' I hardship bo imposed upon anyone, ' and that provision bo made for free treatment <in cases where parents are unablo to pay; that all schools should bo subject to tho Act whether State, denominational or private. W© protest against the penal section of the bill being placed upon tho Statute Rook unless some such protecting conditions are attached thereto; provision is also required for special facilities for the transport of children of small country schools requiring to visit larger centres for treatment."—Press Association.