APPLE-IN-SCHOOLS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 March 1941, Page 7

APPLE-IN-SCHOOLS

GOVERNMENT SCHEME SUPPLIES FOR CHILDREN. DETAILS ANNOUNCED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Arrangements for the inauguration of an apple-ip-schools scheme were announced last night by the Minister of Health, Mr Nordmeyer. He said that facilities were to be provided for an apple a day for all children in kindergartens, primary, technical, secondary, private and Native schools. “The Government has assumed full financial responsibility and no charge will be made for the fruit,”- said Mr Nordmeyer. "The scheme will start in a few days and go on till the end of the first term, covering the period when the apple season is at its height, so that the children will be assured of receiving apples fresh from the orchards of the Dominion.

“So that this scheme will not in any way interfere with the milk-in-schools scheme, it is proposed to continue the supply of milk in the mornings as at present, and to distribute the apples at a convenient time in the afternoon,” added the Minister. "It is hoped that parents will regard these apples as being additional to any fruit which children would ordinarily be given in their lunches or at home. ■

“I make this point as the scheme is being introduced not only for the health and benefit of the children but also as a war measure, to assist in the consumption of apples which will soon be in surplus supply because of the lack of shipping facilities for export. If. for every apple that is supplied at school, one less is eaten at home, the scheme will not help the children, the Government, the growers, or anybody.” Mr Nordmeyer said the Education Department was already in communication with educational authorities throughout New Zealand inviting the schools to send in their requisitions for supplies. It may take a brief period of preliminary organisation to get the arrangements under way, as it would be necessary for each school to estimate its weekly requirements and send in a definite requisition for apples. In this way schools would be assured of receiving the quantity of fruit required to make the scheme complete, and any assistance that could be given to the organisers by education boards, school committees, teachers and others concerned would be greatly appreciated.