“A CRIMINAL OFFENCE”

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11302, 30 August 1922, Page 3

“A CRIMINAL OFFENCE”

SALE OF LOLLIES AND CONFECTIONERY. (To the Editor "N.Z. Times.") Sir,—l wish to call attention to the fact that an error has been made in the reporting of a statement attributed to me in your columns. I have been quoted as having said j "It was hoped to secure legislation making it a criminal offence to sell lollies and confectionery to children under 15 years of age." I did not make any such statement- I referred to the great damage done to the teeth and general health of children as a result of faulty food habits, in parI ticular the excessive consumption of sweets and confectionery between meals. This applied to the vast majority of children. In contrast I referred to the fact that tho law prohibited the sale of tobacco to children under IS years of age, a matter which in practice applied to tho minority only. Dental disease, on the other hand, was a natural problem, and ,popular ideas with regard to the feeding of children urgently required recasting. I regret that anything which I said gave rise to the misunoerstanding that legislative measures contemplated in such a matter; it will be seen from the above that no such idea was in my mind. E. W. WILKINS, director, Division of School Hygiene.