"ITS A SAD STORY"

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2135, 29 April 1914, Page 7

"ITS A SAD STORY"

CHILD LABOUR OX DAIRY FARMS. "Tilings are- not as bad as they were. Tho settlors aro getting in a better position. Thoso aro isolated cases." Mr. T. Moss made thoso remarks at tho Wellington Education Board's .mooting yestorday in referring to a report of tho Truant Inspector in regard to ca3es where children had been absent from school or had been late in their arrival owing to having to milk cows. Tho inspoctor had reported that he know of instances where "slips of girls" li'ad been sent 'to the top of hills at sunrise to milk cows, and then, after being at school during tho day, had to go homo again to milk the cows. In another instance, a lad ten years of ago ■had to milk six cows night and morning. Some children had to milk from five to ten cows as well as take milk to the factory, and thero was an instance whore they had had to do this for a period of six weeks when suffering from whooping cough and unable to attend school. In still another case a mother lad informed tho Truant Inspector that sho and her two boys had to milk 40 cows night and morning, although she had afterwards denied this during the hearing of a truancy prosecution. . , "It's a.sad story," said the chairman (Mr. R. Lee), "but I'm afraid wo cs(a do nothing inoro than to express our strong disapprobation of parents who allow thoir children to perform such work." ;