NO STARVATION

Hokitika Guardian, 22 October 1930, Page 3

NO STARVATION

AT AIILLE'II-TON

SAYS HON. W. H. AIcIXTYRE,

I By Telegraph, Per Press Assucjation

NELSON, October 21. The Vrecent allegation that school children in Millertou were starving owing to the slackness of tlie coal trade was the subject of a discussion at h meeting of the Nel-.on Education Board.

The subject arose out of a letter received from the Millertou School Committee,’forwarded a request from the Miners’ Union, asking for* free hooks

and one goodriieal daily for the second children.

The Secretary’ (Mr H. J. Thornton) explained that vdien lie had received the letter, he had communicated with the (Department, asking permission to grant brio meal daily for a fortnight if it was found necessary, arid had received permission to do so. TheL Chairman (Hon. W. H. McIntyre) fkaid that he had investig ited the position. He had met the School Committee and asked for definite cases where children were going to school underfed. This could not be done, said the speaker. The statemeht was only a general one,, made by the Miners’ Union. If, he said, children wmre going to school without , nieals, it mount that younger children were also .suffering, and he had wired to the Department asking that a Child Welfare Ofcor he sent down, and one left Wellington last night. “The Union,” said Mr Mclntyre, “was-not at first, in favour of this being done. I do not think there is any real justification for saving that, people at Millertou are starving, and I tfynk.it,.is a slur on the parents to children are going to school withorita- .meal. The Chairman continued:—“Tn mi opinion, it is more of a. gesture on the part of the Union to galvanise the Goveminent into notion to prevent the importation of Newcastle and. in my opinion, tne ends justify the me”ns; hut, in the meantime, the Education Board is not going to be stampeded into establishing a precedent by supplying free meals.” MrF.W. 0. Smith said that it was inconceivable that such a state of things existed. The;C-hairman added that there were certainly a number of families who were not very well off, and were notable to -buy stationery. It was stated that about £4 10s was required ,for the purchase of material, and it was resolved to grant,this sum. It was further agreed to supply stationery... to- necessitous cases • brought under;, the. Board’s notice. Mr E. Trevena (to the Chairman) : “You. pro. thoroughly convinced that there are no oases of actual distress’’' .The,;.Chairman: —“No case of actual starvation!” . . Mr.J H. Harkness (Westport) : “It .is the first I have heard of it.” Air Smith:—“lt comes as a shock to us that New Zealand families are starving.” • The Chairman:—“A finer looking and-more contended crowd of children could not he found anywhere.” Miv Trevena: —bit is. a serious statement to-make, arid we should be fully satisfied that there are no actual cases of distress.” ■ To the Chairman, Air Trevena put the question :—-“Did yon get the Headmaster’s opinion on it?” The Chairman: —“Yes.”