MILK IN SCHOOLS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 35, 25 February 1937, Page 4

MILK IN SCHOOLS

Scheme for Regular Daliy Ration _ | GOVERNMENT PR0P0SALS 1 Details of the Government 's scheme for the distribution of free Imilk to school children Vind of the organisation necessary have been received by tbe Mayor of Hastings, Mr G. A. Maddison, from the Director-General of Health, Dr M. H. Watt, the information being in the form of a circular letter a copy of which has been received by the Hawke 's Bay Education Board. The circular states that tho Government desiyes to intraduce the milk-in-schools scheme as early aa possible, and that preliminary negotiations ate already in hand in the main centres with the object of providing a regular daily ration of half a pint per school day to to pvery child attending public and private primary schools and kindergartens and also, where desired, children attending post-primary schools. It is proposed that the supply should be ftem of charge to parents. ' The Government asked the fullest co-operation and assistance of citizens' local committee? in each atea served and desired to entrust to these committees the duties of organisation and general oversight. The Mayor, in company with other mayors throughout the Dominion, has .been asked to convene S meeting of interested educational parties and organisations that may already be actively interested in the distribution of milk to- the children, and it is suggested that an. executive or estimates committee should be appointed from this meeting in inqnire into supply and distribution. Wherever possible the local executive tive officers of the Departmqnts of Agriculture, Education and Health would be available to act in an advisory capacity, said the letter. In any case, it would be necessary for the 'sources of supply to be finally approved of by the Departments of Health and Agriculture, r It was pointed out ' vat some elasticity in the formation oi local compiittees was desirable according to population and other geographical aspects, and an outline was given in the cixcu-. lar of the broad baisis on which .it was rocomraended the committees- should proeeedi The price to be paid for tbe milk is to be based on its value under the gauaranteed price for butterfat, plus an extra amount compensating for th© additional care expected and the responsibility of maintaining suppliea in the winter.4 Over this price, there will be also additional amounts where pasteurilsatian and bottling are coneerned, aa well as allowances for delivqry. It is pointed out that the basic price in the four maia centres will probably be in the vicinity of 7d a gallon *t th© farm gate. Where a distribntor was engaged in the snbscqnent handling, treatment and delivery, the maximum . delivery price at the school should work out at about 1/3 a gallon. A questionnaire has been sont to all the schools to ascertain how many pupils will accept the daily ration of milk, and the replies are now in the hands of the Department of Health. Local executive committees in negotiation for suppliea may be able to estimate quantities required by schools i» their areas on application to the department, /