[To THE EDITOR or THE "SPECTATOR."]
'&34—Your article of September 29th has elicited many letters, and I shall feel obliged by your publication of the following statement with reference to the above practical and not unin- teresting topic. In the winter of 1863-64 an article appeared in Punch headed, " Dinners for Poor Children Wanted," and -referring to a systematic plan of feeding children with meat once 41 fortnight initiated by Victor Hugo. This was the origin of the "Destitute Children's Dinner Society," which in the winter of 1866-7 gave 15,576 dinners, on payment of one penny by each child, at a cost of 2229 9s. 3d. to the Society, and 261 18s. to the children who dined. It has progressed and prospered ever since, and the work is now extended to all parts of London, where misery and pauper education indicate the -need of ene,h assistance, the two qualifications for help being that the seal need and merits of the children shall be ascer- tained, and that none but those attending schools shall be recipients.
In the season 1881-82, the number of dinners given was 187,329,—the children's pence (which are now reduced to half- pence) amounted to 2381 Is. 3d., and the amount of grants to the local committees was 21,339 7s. 6d. The subscriptions and donations were 21,419 13s. 7d., and the society has a reserve fund of 21,690 19s. ld., invested in Metropolitan Three and a Half per Cent. Stock. Last winter, the figures are slightly lower, but the work done was not less effectual ; and the total working expenses for office, advertisements, printing, postage- stamps, and audit were £96 5s. 61d.
The dinners are meat dinners of Irish stew and bread, and cost 3d. per head, of which 21d. is given by our society, and id. for the bread by the child. They are regularly inspected by the members of our Committee, and are entirely of an undenomina- tional tendency, as the names of the superintendents of the fifty local committees will show. I have accumulated evidence of the physical, moral, and educational benefit which the children derive from these dinners, and confidently assert that a larger return for money is got thereby than from any other form of charitable expenditure.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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