EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22512, 21 September 1938, Page 3

EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN

INVESTIGATION DESIRED BY SCHOOL COMMITTEES

An investigation into the employment of children in the early hours of the morning and late in the evening will be sought from the Education Department by the Dominion Federation of School Committees' Associations. The annual conference of the federation, which began in Christchurch yesterday, passed a remit to that effect. The sale of newspapers was specifically mentioned in the remit i% its original form, as.it was moved by Mr A. A. Buckley (Auckland). Milk rounds, the selling of sweets in theatres, and farm work, were also mentioned as types of employment detrimental to the health and education of children. It was decided, however, to remove any specific references, and the remit was left in a general form.

The president (Mr R. S. H. Buchanan, Christchurch) said that for some years there had been no cause of complaint about child newspaper sellers in Christchurch. This practice had not been permitted. Mr Buckley said that in parts of Auckland small boys were up at 3 a.m. to collect newspapers for sale, and were on the streets till 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. after selling late editions. They were not fit to go to school in the morning.