NATIONAL KITCHENS FOR ALL

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 237, 25 June 1918, Page 3

NATIONAL KITCHENS FOR ALL

LORD RHONDDA HOPES FOR 2000 IN THREE MONTHS. A message from the Queen, expressing her interest in national kitchens, hecause she feels certain that they will be of the greatest service to tho country during- the food difficulty, was delivered by Lord Rhondda when he opened a kitchen at Poplar last April. He was satisfied that great ..things would be done with these kitchens. Alderman Spencer, the ■ director, believed that within two months there would be 1000 throughout the country, and 2000 within three months, if the equipment could bo obtained. These kitchens were a. war insurance, and 1 how far they had come to stay tie wonkl not predict. But ho hoped ,that when people got accustomed to them and found that they could get food cheaper and better cooked, and with less trouble in home life, the habit would be permanently established. They were put forward as a business proposition on self-support-ing lines, and for all classcs. There would be nothing of the taint of charity about them.

Lord Khondda confessed that ho- had cxpected that after he had been at the Ministry nine months he would he Melted out and hung'on the nearest lamppost. Instead, (lie public hud rallied (p his-support. The Ministry was not influenced by any political consideration in granting a, supplementary ration to manual workers. He gave up political ambition years ago," and as long as ho was Minister considerations of parly politics would not weigh with his Department one iota. Be had been advised by the War Committee of Hie TCoyal Society (hat 'manual workers required if, anil that brain \rorkors did not. Tf an equal weigh I of evidence were brought on the other sido he would reconsider his decision.

There were now 17 national Icitchens in London, 75 in Greater London, and 250 in the whole of Hie country.

Occupiers of every factory or work shop enaasjed either wholly nr partly in (lie manufacture of condensed milk must, place Ihe whole of their output at (lie disposal of I lie Food Controller.