View report page

40
It appeared to be probable that during recent years the question of health as the sole
basis for a grant of milk bad not been adhered to, and that purely financial reasons had
been considered. This financial problem is the province of the Public Assistance Committee
and not the Child Welfare Authority.
It was, therefore, decided to work the scheme in closer co-operation with the Public
Assistance Officers, and to adhere strictly to the instructions issued by the Ministry of Health.
The rules are definite. All applications for grants of milk for children and nursing or
expectant mothers as defined above must be based upon the necessity on the grounds of health,
no matter to which authority, London County Council or Borough Council, the case is
referred. Where a family is in receipt of relief, the application should be made by the
Medical Officer of the Welfare or Ante-Natal Centre directly to the Public Assistance Committee
on the forms provided. Where the family is not in receipt of relief, the application
is considered by the Special (Milk) Sub-Committee of the Borough Council. Grants are
made, either free or at half price, in accordance with an approved scale of income. Information
is exchanged between the authorities concerned, and a considerable amount of overlapping has
been abolished.
At the end of 1931 there were 172 families actually in receipt of milk under the
Borough scheme. During 1932, 458 new families were added to the list of recipients. By
the end of that year there were 225 families receiving grants. The total cost of this
scheme in 1930 was £1,330; in 1931, £1,414; and in 1932, £937.
FREE. j HALF-PRICE. COST.
Month. Pints. Lbs. Pints. Lbs. £ s. d.
*January 5964 220 756 20 110 13 11
February 4704 132 196 16 81 2 3
March 4256 180 448 28 71 7 2
*April 5180 184 588 12 83 9 4
May 4172 116 336 12 63 18 2
June 3948 120 252 8 60 14 10
*July 4256 188 308 4 69 7 6
August 3808 156 364 12 62 0 6
September 3976 156 252 16 63 11 6
'*October 5320 200 504 28 97 6 2
November 4760 164 420 16 85 7 7
December 4844 192 364 24 88 11 11
55188 2008 4788 196 £937 10 10
* 5 week months.
The Council passed a resolution in July, 1928, that 7\ per cent, be deducted from the
accounts of all dairymen supplying milk under the scheme to the value of £2 or over monthly.
This has reduced the above total by about £25.
The scale in use in making the grants is based on weekly income and was originally
drawn up by the Council in 1922. It was discontinued in April, 1928, and a new scale
brought into use in consequence of a recommendation by the Minister of Health that the
scale should be brought into accord with the fall in the index figure of the cost of living.