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162
G. PROVISION OF MEALS.
Education (Provision of Meals) Acts, 1906 & 1914.—
During the year the Education (Provision of Meals) Act,
1914, became law. This Act modifies the 1906 Act in the
following particulars:—
1. It legalises the provision of meals during holidays,
and on other days when the school is not open.
2. It repeals the limit imposed by Section 3 of the 1906
Act, under which the expenditure of the Local
Education Authority on the provision of food was
limited to the produce of a halfpenny rate.
3. It abolishes the necessity of obtaining the sanction
of the Board of Education to expenditure out of the
rates on the provision of food.
The relationship of the working of the principal Act to
the School Medical Service was dealt with in the Annual
Reports for 1912 and 1913. The provision of meals is really
an ameliorative measure for the improvement of the health
of the children, and as such its administration should be
closely associated with the School Medical Service.
On June 25th, 1914, the Board of Education issued
regulations under which grants in aid of the provision of
meals for children attending public elementary schools will
be given. Article 4 of these regulations states the points
which the Board will take into account in distributing the
grant. They are as follows:—
(a) The extent to which the work is co-ordinated with that
of the School Medical Service.
(b) The care exercised in the selection of children for
admission to the meals.
(c) The sufficiency and suitability of the dietary.
(d) The extent to which attention is given to the
cational aspect of the work.