Children and Work

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXIV, Issue 100, 27 August 1930, Page 5

Children and Work

EARLY MORNING DUTIES. POSITION UNDER REVIEW. Reference to allegations that school children in Wellington and elsewhere were being employed on milk rounds in the early hours of the morning and were suffering as a result was made in a statement by the Minister of Health, Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, yesterday. After quoting legislation prohibiting the employment of children in certain work, the Minister said that further legislation had been under consideration by the Child Welfare Department for some time with the idea of giving a more comprehensive definition of the the hours and conditions of child labour. He said an attempt was matte in 1928 by the school medical officers to elucidate the standard of health and the environmental conditions of school children in certain districts. Groups of schools were selected representing children of coalminers, bush timbermill workers, and dairy farmers in thriving communities and in remote country areas.

Children attending twenty-five schools in New Zealand were examined and the homes of 476 children wore visited. School progress was retarded in children of coalminers 12 per cent; timber mill w’orkers, 14 per cent; farmers in thriving areas, 21 per ctfnt; in remote farming areas 11.5 per cent; share-milkers 26 per cent. In the third group (thriving farming communities), with 21 per cent, retardates, 25 per cent had less than ten hours’ sleep; 19 per cent had more than three hours’ work. In the fifth group (share-milkers) with 26 per cent, retardates, 24 per cent, had less than ten hours’ sleep; 18 per cent had more than three hours’ work.

“It is remarked by the school medical officer that the amount of work done outside school hours would appear to have more effect on school progress than on nutrition,” Mr Stallworthy said. “Though children who do work before and after school hours do not compare unfavourably in development with others, their nervous system would not appear to be in as good a state, for retardation in school work is more pronounced and a common remark of teachers is that such children show signs of fatigue in school —indeed, in some cases, actually fall asleep.”