THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1919. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Otaki Mail, Volume 26, 7 May 1919, Page 2

THE OTAKI MAIL. Published on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1919. EDITORIAL NOTES.

Hot Meals At Schools. The steps taken by the Wellington Education Board to provide hot drinks for school children will commend themselves to parents, and we arc pleased to see that our local school committee has resolved to adopt the recommendation of tho Board in this direction, and will in future provide hot cocoa for the mid-day meal for those children who take their luifcheon to school. Many school children have nothing whatever to drink with their luncheon, and in a scattered district like this, where numbers of the scholars have to walk several miles to and from school, a good drink of hot cocoa will be of great benefit to the little ones. It is well known, too, that school children, for the most part, fail to take proper time over their lunches. Too frequently they “stuff" themselves with their scanty lunch as quickly as possible, in order to have more time for play, and in this way they do not properly digest their food, or get sufficient nourishment from it. AVith the provision of warm drinks, the children will be more likely to take their time over their meals, and the result.should be highly beneficial tn their health. The Otaki School Committee has made arrangements whereby children are to pay sixpence each, to meet the cost of the hot cocoa to be provided. This very small charge should not prevent any child enjoying the comfort of the hot drinks during the winter months, but we believe the time is not far distant when these drinks will be provided free of till cost to the parents. Doubtless, too, the matter will be advanced a step further, and Itor soup lie provided also. In parrot’ ilie Dominion where the weather is more severe than locally, such a provision would be a great blessing to all concerned. This matter of providing hot meals for school children, and alio for workers, is being taken up Wholeheartedly in England, and wo gather front the “Daily Telegraph" that important developments are.to be put info operation immediately. Ot course there is not the some need for tiie.-e steps in a country like New Zealand, where practically every child has sufficient food, but the innovation even in this favoured land will undoubtedly prove a great blessing to many, and result in the building up of healthier and better nourished children.

Local Peace Celebrations. We must confess to a feeling of disappointment at the attitude of the Manakau people in deciding not to join with the Otaki. Te Horo. and Waihoanga people in the Peace celebrations. We gather from the report of what transpired at the Manakau public meeting at which this decision was arrived at. that the two main ’factors that led to this action were: The fear that many mothers with very young children would be unable to make the journey to Otaki. and the . opinion that something more was required in the way of food for the children than the one meal to be provided by the central committee. It appears to us that the' Manakau people were under a misapprehension on these points. The feeling of the combined committee meeting held at Otaki recently was strongly in favour of Manakau residents joining in the celebrations, and the meeting expressed itself willing to do anything possible to meet the convenience of Manakau parents a»d children. It was reported that two large motor -'buses could be engaged to take the children back to Manakau in the afternoon, and. though no special mention was made of mothers with very young children, we are quite certain that the committee would gladly assist in this way also apart front the facilities afforded by trains. As regards the feeding of the "children, while it is true .the committee only pledged itself definitely to one ‘'"square meal “for the little ones, it was distinctly understood iliat the children would also be given afternoon tea. The enjoyment - of the children is to be one of the prime factors in these celebrations, and without doubt the children of this district will geJi a royal time, and anything affect-

ing their welfare or enjoyment will certainly receive tile support of the central committee. Had the Manakau people joined with the other centre?, they would have had equal say in such matters as these, and it seems a pity that representations oh these points were not put before the central committee. The regrettable point about the matter is that now Manakau will have its own small gathering. Doubtless it will be a successful affair, ns the Manakau people always loyally support their local functions, but it cannot possibly have the same significance or afford the same pleasure to those participating—and especially the children—as the bigger united celebration would have had. The celebration at Otaki will also suffer somewhat through the non-amal-gamation of the Manakau people. It seems to us that the difficulties raised by the Manakau people might have been overcome—they are not insurmountable, by any means—and seeing that the other parts of the district arc most anxious that Manakau should join in, we hope that even yet some arrangement may be made whereby the bigger, united scheme of celebrations may be carried out. There is every probability of some three or four weeks elapsing before the date of the celebrations, in which time arrangements might be made to meet the Manakau people’s wishes. At a time like this, it seems to us, the people of the whole district should sink any parochialism, and 'endeavour to make a big effort to hold a qnited celebration worthy of the unique occasion and of the district. Such an end can hardly be attained unless all parts aro prepared to give and take a little, and this applies - as much to Otaki as it does to Manakau and other parts of the district.