View report page

87
In my report to the Committee last December I stated that it
is difficult to prevent fraudulent applications; that enquiries
should be made from employers in all cases of doubt; and that the
applicant should be made to sign the application form, and that
cases where fraud is proved should be prosecuted.
(8) The Ministry advise that reasonable steps should be taken
to verify particulars of income and to prevent overlapping with
bodies concerned in the same manner.
It has always been a routine measure to consider the amount
of help given by the Guardians and the particulars obtained as
regards amount of milk or assistance in kind are entered by the
Health Visitor on the enquiry form.
These enquiries hitherto have only been made from the
parents and not from the Guardians themselves.
The Committee might consider whether registration with the
Mutual Registration of Assistance Association which registers all
assistance given by social associations and local authorities in
a district should be carried out. The Association for the Mutual
Registration of Assistance does not carry out enquiry at the homes
but merely hands on information to the various bodies concerned,
thus giving information as to what is being done in the
way of assistance by such associations as the War Pensions
Committee, Tuberculosis Care Committee, Invalid Children's,
Association, Charity Organisation Society and military associations,
and I understand that the Guardians are also registering.
(9) The Ministry suggests that where investigations have
not been completed milk should only be distributed at less than
cost price after a medical certificate has been obtained, and that
where the investigation is satisfactory a supply should be given
for not more than a month at a time.
It would be simple enough to put this recommendation into
force; and as regards the time limit of one month, this limit has
never been exceeded in Hackney in making out the orders to the
milkmen, and in fact many orders are made out for a fortnightly