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154
The percentages of the year 1908 worked out from the figures
given by the same examiner were as follows:—Good, 71.7 percent.;
indifferent, 23.7 per cent., and bad, 4.7 per cent.
The improvement thus shown may, I think, be fairly attributed
to the breakfasts and dinners given under the Provision of Meals
Act, first put into force in the district in October, 1908.
The meals are provided in some few instances by the caretakers
of the schools, and in other instances by dining-room and
coffee-shop proprietors. In three of the schools—viz., Canterbury
Road, Kirkdale Road and Sybourn Street, on account of these schools
being attended by the children of the better-to-do parents—no
meals are provided. The sum of money expended during the year
on these meals amounted to £645 13s. 5d.: breakfasts being provided
at l½d., and dinners at 2d. per head.
It is surprising what is given for the money, as the following
sample menu will show:—
Day.
Breakfasts.
Dinners.
Monday
1 cup of cocoa and
2 slices of bread and
jam.
1 basin of pea soup, 1 slice
of bread, and rice.
Tuesday
Ditto, dripping
Stewed meat, potatoes, cabbage,
dumpling.
Wednesday
Ditto, butter
1 basin of pea soup, 1 slice
of bread, and baked bread
pudding.
Thursday
Ditto, jam
Shepherd's pie made with
potatoes and cabbage.
Friday
Porridge and milk
Stewed steak, potatoes and
cabbage.
VACCINATION.
Of the entire number of children examined 42.2 per cent.
were found to have four marks or more, 7.8 per cent. one mark,
and 21 per cent. no marks, the rest have two or three marks.
The scars are merely noted, and no action is taken under the
Vaccination Acts or otherwise.