ORANGES FOR CHILDREN

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 104, 19 May 1937, Page 4

ORANGES FOR CHILDREN

Minister Thinks Milk Is Better While agreeing that the addition of oranges to the child's diet would be beneficial, the Minister of Health does not consider that oranges should replace milk. A letter to this eft'ect was received by the Napier Secondary Education Board at its meeting last evening. A resolution had been passed that the Government should be asked to consider the supply of oranges to those pupiis who would henefit by this addition. In his reply the Minister agrees that fhe addition of fresh fruit, including oranges, would be of benefit to all children. He is not, however, of the opinion that oranges should he given instead of milk. "Milk and milk pTOducts are classed among the protective foods due to the high quality of the protein and the presence in large i amounts of partieularly valuable salts and vitamins," states the reply. "The orange, on the other hand, is a poor source of calcium but is a ricb source of vitamins, though not as good as the tomato 01* leftuce. It is recognised that there is a very small percentage of childi'en with whom milk does not agree, hut consideration of the provision by the Government of any further supplementary diet must peiforce be delayed until the milk scheme is functioning. in its entirety."