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27
Later in the year a circular (No. 234) addressed to local
authorities, dated the 26th August, 1921, was received from
the Ministry of Health, in which they were advised that, inter
alia, the sum provided by Parliament for Maternity and Child
Welfare services will not admit of an expenditure from
State funds on anything approaching the same scale (i.e., 50
per cent.) in the second half of this financial year and
that out of the sum remaining available in this financial year
it is possible only to devote to the milk service an amount which
will allow of payment of a grant in respect of the last 6 months
of the year equivalent to 5 per cent, of local authorities' net
expenditure on milk in 1920-1921.
The matter was considered by the Council, and in view
of the seriousness of the position raised by the circular letter,
representations were made to the Ministry to reconsider their
action.
Subsequently the Ministry revised their attitude, and in a
letter to the Council, dated 3rd November, 1921, decided that
"for the present half of the financial year" he (the Minister
of Health) will make a grant of 50 per cent. for the year.
A further circular (No. 267), dated the 13th December,
1921, addressed to local authorities, was received from the
Ministry of Health, stating—in referring to their previous
circular letters, dated 31st March and 26th August—that
though, on strictly financial grounds, a reduction of the
grant was entirely justified, in view of the commitments
of local authorities during the financial year and the distress
existing from the extent of unemployment, the Minister had
decided that the 50 per cent, grant for milk would be continued
until the end of the financial year.
The circular further states that the Minister was advised
on the medical side that:—
(i.) The provision of meals to be consumed by expectant
and nursing mothers on premises, or under
arrangements controlled by the local authority,
would be of greater physiological value than a
supply of milk given under existing conditions.
(ii.) That in regard to children, as it is necessary to reduce
the total amount of milk now provided, what is
most important is the supply of fresh and dried
milk up to 12 months, when the mothers cannot
nurse them.
The circular was the subject of a conference held at the
Islington Town Hall, on the 3rd February, 1922, at which the