They had no time for visiting the homes nor were they always the most competent persons for making enquiries. The final selection of the children should be in the hands of a Relief Committee, which should be formed for each school or group of schools.[125] The increasing attention paid to the medical side of the question is shown by the recommendation that, wherever possible, the advice and guidance of the school doctor should be obtained.[126] The Committee refer with approval to the proposal that a system of school restaurants should be established, at which meals could be supplied at cost price. "Not much attempt," they say, "has yet been made through the medium of school meals towards raising the standard of physical development among the children and promoting a taste for wholesome and nourishing food."[127] In view of the very divergent opinions expressed by witnesses, the Committee were unable to come to a clear conclusion whether or not such restaurants would succeed, but they would "welcome experiments made in this direction."[128] The restaurants, they thought, would probably have to be kept separate from any system of free dinners, for attempts to combine free and cheap meals had always ended in failure. In country districts, where the children often lived at a great distance from the school, the need for school restaurants was distinctly felt. The lunches brought by the children were generally of a most unsatisfactory nature. The Committee were of opinion that the managers should arrange for the provision of a hot dinner, or at any rate soup or cocoa, for those children who were unable to go home at midday. A charge should be made which should at least cover the cost of the food.[129] Footnote 120: _Ibid._, p. 59, par. 208. Footnote 121: _Ibid._, p. 75, par. 279. Footnote 122: _Ibid._, pp. 84, 85, par. 306, secs. 3, 4. Footnote 123: _Ibid._, p. 85, pars. 5, 6. Footnote 124: _Ibid._, pp. 60, 61, pars. 210, 215. Footnote 125: _Ibid._, pp. 62, 85, pars. 220, 306 (secs. 9, 10). Footnote 126: _Ibid._, p. 66, par. 236. So far as the committee could discover, "the question of malnutrition and underfeeding has attracted very little attention in connection with medical inspection. There appears to be no area where the Medical Officer works in close touch with the organisations for the feeding of children." (_Ibid._, p. 25, par. 97.) Footnote 127: _Ibid._, p. 68, par. 242. Footnote 128: _Ibid._, p. 71, par. 258. Footnote 129: