MILK SCHEME

Southland Times, Issue 25311, 14 June 1935, Page 8

MILK SCHEME

CITY SCHOOLS SUPPORT BY HOSPITAL BOARD GOOD RESULTS Gratification at the beneficial results accruing from the free milk scheme instituted for undernourished children in the city primary schools was expressed at yesterday’s meeting of the Southland Hospital Broad, which decided to earmark £l5O to finance the scheme for the current year. •The acting-secretary (Mr E. A. Grant) read a report from the Invercargill Rotary Club’s Community Service Committee covering the operations of the scheme in 1934. The following was an interesting excerpt from the report: “From an analysis of the records that have been furnished us it is apparent that the average gain in weight of children who have been supplied with this milk ration is 31b compared with the l’>lb average gain in weight of those children who have not been supplied. There is, however, one interesting factor that has a bearing on this point; and it is that the supply of milk to certain children in the schools seems to have had the effect of making it quite the thing for other children to bring milk with them. This, of course, is an excellent thing, but at the same time it has rendered it impossible to keep very accurate records; and we believe that the comparative gain in weight made by those children who are embraced by the milk scheme is actually greater than the figures would indicate.” Scheme Deserves Support. The chairman (Mr T. Golden) spoke commending the work of the Rotary Club and the committee. He said the scheme had been working very smoothly and it would be a great pity if it were not continued. From the humanitarian point of view it deserved the board’s warm support, but it would have a material benefit in that probably a number of the undernourished children would, unless helped by the scheme, later become a charge on the board. The question arose whether the board could continue to make a donation to the scheme. Last year £5O had been granted, there being then the expectation that a national scheme would be instituted before long. This had not eventuated. The board would now have to consider to what extent it could assist in financing the scheme in the current year. The Mayor (Mr John Miller): What’s to hinder the Dairy Board taking it in hand? At Home the Milk Board has taken it up in conjunction with the Education Board. Farmers are getting 1/9 a gallon for their milk. Mr W. M. Norman: The position is not * altogether satisfactory. This board granted £5O, the Southland County Council and the Harbour Board made grants, but the City Council gave nothing on the ground that it thought the Health Department should sponsor the scheme. Levy Suggested. The Mayor: I think it should come through one channel. We would then know exactly what was being done. This hit or miss method of donations is no good. The scheme should be put through the Hospital Board and all ratepayers could be levied for it. , The chairman: I have worked it out that were the scheme extended to all schools in Southland it would cost about £3OOO a year. It may be realized, therefore, that a national scheme would involve the Health Department in a heavy liability. The cost of distribution would be so heavy—more than the cost of milk.

Mr W. Grieve: The Education Board found on investigating its financial position that there was only £5 available for unauthorized expenditure. This had been voted to the milk scheme and will be an annual grant. The board and teachers are strongly behind the scheme. I agree that it would be bettei’ were the scheme a national one. The best way to bring this about will be for the Hospital Board to budget for the whole of the expenditure. Mr A. McKenzie: It will be a long time before the scheme will be needed in the country, but it is needed in the towns. Probably the country will be rated for it, though. Miss H. Birss: It will take £l5O to run the scheme this year. The Mayor: I don’t think we should begrudge it. Mr Grieve: It’s the best £l5O the board has ever spent. The acting-secretary stated that £5O had been allowed on the estimates for assisting the scheme. - The chairman said he would rather the board find £l5O than see the scheme dropped. On the motion of Miss Birss, seconded by Mrs A. Henderson, it was decided to earmark £l5O, under the heading of relief, to finance the milk scheme for the current year.