FOOD FOR NEEDY FAMILIES.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20789, 24 February 1933, Page 3

FOOD FOR NEEDY FAMILIES.

work of the women's committee: GIISLS TRAINED IN COOKERY. Each day ft hot midday meal is cooked and distributed to 10 poor f amnios by the Women '.6 Unemployment Committee. Described in so many words, that may seem a simple task; but it really demands careful organisation and the unselfish serriee of volunteer workers, whose one reward is the obvious gratitude spoken or unspoken, of mothers and children who otherwise would go hungry, or at least have insufficient food. Most of the food is prepared at the headquarters of the cooking centre in the Majestic Theatre buildings. Meals for six families are sent out from there every, day, the meat for the othe* four families being prepared at the Colombo street depot. A representative of "The Press" yesterday accompanied one of the volunteers who had offored her motor-car and her own services in the distribu- , tion of the food. Each volunteer gives . one day's such service every week, quite apart from other work she may do yi the relief of distress. Distribution of Pood. The food is distributed only to the most needy cases among the wives of men on relief work who have five children or more. In one of tho families visited yesterday there were 12 children, and there were three families of 10 children, and two of eight children. The first .family visited was one of 10 children, two or three of whom „ —the others were at school, for it was not yet noon—played at tho front gate* . at the same time keeping* .watchful eyes in the direction from, which the car with the.'food'would come. The eagerness with" which they hailed it,swas unmistakeable. Two . waited-to>fhftlp to carry inside the containers >an "Vbieh the food is kept; the youngest, inside to,'tell her-mother, They"'«NSmeA-well-nourished, and the mother, was obviously doing her best, for, them w>—ye.# there was a tinge of pathos-in - of that little, group though they played happily, jeaojlgh, it . was plain that they wßre'"*httngr&'-'!J!hey * gathered TOUHd the tabid as *tn»'.food -was emptied "from the, .' roast veal, potatoes; cabbage, steamed ■'* ginger pudding and eustaTd; «auc$ —aty earned in. bilbos to preserve'th^heat., - Qheerful and Courageous.' At nearly • every * wis tho \ • same—the children eagerly waiting; the ' parents carrying on as best they.could in the face of difficulty.-Most of tho' / ,- homes were clean, and the ■ women an? • peared cheerful and courageous in tho,. midst. of their distress. .One of tho' husbands .was. at.home —a relief worker,' he had. be/ju-"stood down" for a, fort- ' night. ; ' ■ ,'"-,'. , The women were deeply thankful for the food, and praised its quality.: Tho 'volunteer worker distributing ifc TPftS' . ' pleasant and tactful—here ,an w quiry about the health .of- one of tho children, recently treated for adenoids; there a question as to whether . ~;' girl had yet received, some ahsfes''^)i'JJi needed, 11; again *TKN^OaWta^ ,e I V7? about a "baby, only */ *^ t who had arrived ainco tributing food had' been . gress. " . -'v. ;'; C, ". 7 r H?V J ' ■ The scheme is valuable #pWr' ftlW^: 1 , Si .gather '.from t^.^^vj^v^ families, for it. gives iio^iif^., ; - training to upomployed training is carried out only, at tic Theatre depot, where tho kitchen s•,,".£;> a.largo .one. ;' - J.._ - *vilj>' Sbift^o^Gixlß^._',;,.', ■ -fy■%* The, g)ils who this tw<i .ftj&fljr eiws :; '' *v s of 84 , 1 ': v - J days &£ Qther threfc , among 1 ..lboso ( J Tfl^i^d % i~ s j payment Buireau/iadi Qtyfcta ing for 12 WQeJiB. '; ~<\ ' ~ Following ,*b, iset ©^'iydrpi«rt. * J;> "for one i 'Monday—Sea pie,, beans, tfafaprift. \... hakoA rice,, stewed *>' 4''\J J Tuesday—Teal and Kara 1 cabbage, beans, steamed .aultamji ~-'' ding and custard sauce. f?.,.: JC%' » L ,j Wednesday—lrish "stew ot ;| ton, potatoes, cabbage, plum pie., V flour mpuld. ' '■''.'* }*■«!.•■.& Thursday—Boast muttoi' or JljjihimlJ; 1 * t mutton and parsley ni^''giajtai^ift:-; [".' eabbage, "spotted Dick""a^'i ! ; : 1 sauce, or baked 'sago «ad r fj()»FliiSf I'-'Tf plums. ' J-V' ■'"! * j 3Mday—Braised, ateak • tnd-';flis^«s|D ;i ;;4 mashed potatoos, cabbage, baked/ "\ ■ » and stewed fruit. ', ' ',', ',,*'„ Saturday—Boast mutton, \ttS3fi&.-m&i J- \ ton, -potatoes, cabbage, pons, \ v stowed fruit. J i - ' '", \ ' Thorough Training Glrau ■ : i The girls have their owa f;|di»uftjf*' 'J\ room, which is a model of n«ata4tys. Tsef?- " | begin work at 8 o'clock each i " and at 10 o'clock they haye seja»ei «i# ' | a cup of tea.' At raidd&V they l(»T^li'. good dinner—yesterday it con»3tet«d fl£ „- ; a choice of haricot bean ■ ecraft,■ _x. tomatoes, sea pie, cold roast httt *aS "" ''■ tomato salad, potatoes, beans, vermisi'KK : . custard, raspberry cream, an{ «tew« 4 rf A apples—and afternoon tea, wjilefc yesterday consisted of Madeira cake, i raisin cake/ with tea, coffee, or eocoal Tho girls' food is varied as Hinds ' «■ possible to give them thorough and ali* round experience of cookiog «n<| baV ,s ing. Also, they learn how to' wait; *t { table. The whole of their training w under the immediate charge of Hiss W* .' Hitchcn, a graduate of tho Hoists . * Science School at tho "Cairewity «C ■- ■ Otago. '., i "M?oet of tJiem are willing and npr ' telligont girls of a good Miss Hitchen, "and they - -Js all they are taught—how to do ,«p th* . J table linen, how to lay a table, how to wait jjrt table, and how to cook.** ' ~j Because Gooksboro', wood in Westmeath, Ireland, planted under ** i ; afforestation scheme, is ovefrsft tptis - * goats, a committee is to be format ia look after the interests- of the meath Committee of Agricnltacre* fISSn, committee, which" will be known "Goats Committoe," will have power to, impound all goats found Hu the w*od until the arrival of their owners, ITBk* goats are said to have destroyed trees and' saplings. Local people •deny 1 the ownership of tho goats, and when e»e woman had to answer a case -tihe admitted owning o»ly ono out of- £boat"so goats. v