The gap between rich and poor is an important issue that rarely gets discussed by our economic mandarins.

It is a measure of how subdued is the national mood and how modest are our current ambitions that we expect so little of our elected governments.

Many readers will have been taken aback this week by revelations in the Herald series on the number of children turning up at schools hungry each day.

Sharing food across the wider whanau is the only way Papakura's Peawini family keeps food on the table.

The causes of increased poverty, and the growth of school food programmes go back to National's big benefit cuts of 1991.

More than 100 Herald readers have signed up to pay $15 a month to sponsor hungry children in response to this week's campaign on the issue.

Poorer families are cutting out meat and vegetables to keep up repayments to finance companies, budgeters say.