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276
"Provision of Spectacles, etc.—In cases where medical
inspections show that the provision of spectacles is necessary
for the treatment of defective eyesight, the Board will be prepared
to consider proposals from a Local Education Authority
to provide suitable and inexpensive spectacles free of charge.
They will, however, only sanction such an arrangement if
they are satisfied that every endeavour will first be made
to obtain the provision of the spectacles by the child's
parents or by any voluntary associations which exist for the
purpose. The Board will, of course, require that due precautions
should be taken to secure accurate examination and
appropriate prescription by qualified medical men of suitable
experience."
Since the 7th of June, 1911, up to the present time,
spectacles have been provided by the Willesden Education
Committee, with the sanction of the Board of Education,
through voluntary hospitals and approved opticians, the
parents contributing a proportion of the cost of the glasses
provided. Under this arrangement, since the date
above mentioned up to and including the 23rd November,
1914, 435 pairs of spectacles have been provided at a total
cost of £73 13s. Of this cost the parents have promised
to contribute £20 4s. 1d., but only £8 3s. 2d. has, in fact,
been paid. The deficit, therefore, is £12 0s. l1d.
The report of the Auditor of the Local Government
Board of the accounts of the Education Committee for the
year ending 31st March, 1913, contained the following:—
"I have found it impossible to check the sums recovered
in respect of the cost of spectacles supplied to children, and
would suggest that an account in regular form should be
kept, showing the cost of every pair of spectacles supplied,
the amount to be re-paid in each case, the amounts received,
written off, and outstanding."