WINTER RELIEF

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21147, 24 April 1934, Page 15

WINTER RELIEF

PROVIDING FOOD

METROPOLITAN ASSOCIATION'S PLANS

Details of a scheme to provide winter relief were placed before a meeting of the Metropolitan Belief Association yesterday, when Mr George Harper presided. The Pr°P°salswere approved, dealt mainly with tne supply of meat, bread, vegetables, and coal. ~ , , Mr Harper said that a meeting naa Just been held by the sub-committee about the scheme for winter relict, which was now almost completed. With one small exception, the subcommittee was agreed on the scheme, which Mr Harper thought the members would find very workable and good. , , The committee's report, read by Mr T. Milliken, recommended that boot repairs, mea's clothing, and legal advice should be provided by the association as in the past; that women s clothing should be supplied on request from the sub-depot manager, and that gift clothing should be distributed free at the sub-depots, a limited amount to be supplied at the central depot to applicants certified from the sub-depot. It was further recommended that the association should continue to issue through the sub-depots meat, bread, and vegetables, the meat to be that supplied by the Unemployment Board, the bread to be bought through the Master Bakers' Association as arranged for last year, and the vegetables to be bought in bulk. Dripping should be supplied only when asked for. Details of Cost The cost estimated for these items for 2500 families, by Mr Cape-Williamson, was as follows: — Meat—Average 51b a family at 2id a lb: £125 a week. Bread—Half fresh, half one day old, at 6d a loaf: £72 10s a week. Potatoes—Average 101b a family, making 12 tons: £42 a week. Total cost: £239 10s a week. "Before any person can draw any of this relief he must register with | the metropolitan relief committee at the central depot, where he will be I given a card and allocated to a subdepot for supply," the report slated. ! "The ration varies in quantity according to the size of the applicant's family. "Where an applicant is totally averse to going to a relief depot for his supplies, it is suggested that he shall have the option to state when registering TTiat he prefers coupons to supplies, it he expresses that wish then he shall be given a coupon for meat to the value of the ration which he would be entitled to—that value being the cost of the ration to the association, It is sugested that as the value given by the association in supplies will be so much better than the value given by way of coupons, the average applicant will prefer to take supplies rather than coupons. Coupons for Groceries "To get over the difficulty of the small grocer it is suggested that a system of coupons lor groceries be established. In view of the fact, however, that £239 is proposed to be spent on the rations, it will not be possible to do much further in the matter of groceries. For example, 2500 familcs receiving an average of Is a week in groceries will absorb a further £125. This, added on to the cost for coal, clothing, etc., will make a very substantial sum to be found each week. "It is suggested, however, that some families will not need to receive more than the' rations. It is not intendedto keep fhe applicants in food, but rather to help out their own resources, although there arc some who will for a time be almost totally dependent on relief. "These coupons for groceries will be specially printed coupons issued in the name of the association out of funds provided by the Mayor's Distress Fund, and will be similar to the Unemployment Board coupons, to be exchanged at grocers' snops for specified necessaries such as flour, rice, sago, butter, sugar, and tea. The grocers should be approached to sell these articles at special prices, these cut prices to allow a small profit to the grocers." The report proposed that the coupons should be available for one week only. The manner of their distribution was not decided.

Supply of Coal The supply of coal was also dealt with by the report, which proposed that arrangements should be made with coal merchants for a special price for coal delivered or called for by the applicant. A limited number of necessitous cases among the unemployed should be entitled to a coupon for coal to the value of 2s fid every three weeks, according to the funds available. T.ie report stated that last year 14,000 of coal were supplied free to relief workers at a cost of less than £2OOO. This, it stated, entailed a great deal of voluntary work and organisation, and the retailer of coal would be eliminated if the same system were followed this year. The report also proposed that special arrangements should be made with schools for the supply of milk at playtime free to necessitous cases, but in such a manner to make no distinction known from other than necessitous cases. The committee? recommended that £250 would provide for three months' milk supply to these children. The report was adopted.