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A similar letter was received by other Boroughs and the Shoreditch
Borough Council convened a conference of Local Authorities with a view
to making joint representations to the Ministry. This Council sent
representatives to the Conference.
At this Conference it was pointed out that the suggestion of the
Minister that milk should "not be supplied to applicants who are already
in receipt of Poor Law Relief" would have the effect of transferring a
considerable proportion of the families to the Guardians with a consequential
additional burden on the local rates, and further that the Guardians
had no power or organisation to carry out this duty.
Resolutions were adopted by the Conference:
(a) Pointing out that the estimates were based on experience
gained over a number of years in carrying out the directions of the
Minister of Health as laid down in Circular 185, and offering a strong
objection to the action in reducing the estimates as such reduction
would, in the opinion of the Conference, have a most detrimental
effect upon the health of expectant and nursing mothers and of children
in the respective Boroughs.
(b) Asking the Minister of Health to give further consideration
to the estimates.
(c) Asking the Minister to receive a deputation from the
Conference.
(d) If necessary M.P.'sfor the Boroughs represented to be asked
to raise the matter in the House of Commons.
The resolutions were also adopted by the Borough Council and
forwarded to the Ministry of Health.
In acknowledging these resolutions the Ministry stated that it was
for the Council to decide whether they will adopt the suggestions as to
procedure contained in the Minister's previous letter "so long as it was
understood that the net expenditure during the present financial year
on which grant will be payable will not exceed £2,800."
A similar letter was received by the Conference with an additional
paragraph pointing out ' 'that in cases in which relief is being given by a