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To the Chairman and Members of the
Edmonton Urban District Council.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to present you my Report for the year 1928 on the sanitary conditions
of the District of Edmonton and its vital statistics.
The Report is drawn up in accordance with the suggestions made in
Circular 939 of the Ministry of Health, dated December 13th, 1928.
There are no unusual events to chronicle in either the Public Health
or the Maternity and Child Welfare Departments: each day has furnished
its own quota of problems and work.
The housing problem, in spite of the efforts of the Council, is still not
solved: on the one hand are folk living under sordid conditions and quite
contented ; on the other are families, often with one or more of its members
in poor health, living under conditions of overcrowding which must sap the
vitality of the strongest.
Rents are high, and so-called "furnished" rooms are let at an exorbitant
figure.
Overcrowding leads to increased wear and tear, with the result that the
interior of houses rapidly become dilapidated; the services of the sanitary
inspector are invoked, and this official has to decide how much is fair wear
and tear, defects which the owner of the house is responsible for.
One of the outstanding features of the year was the plague of flying beetles
which invaded the houses of a road adjoining agricultural ground; the matter
is referred to later on.
At the time of writing, the Council have an offer to take over the Day
Nursery, which is now run privately. If this were done, and the adjoining
ground also purchased, it would be a tempting proposition to erect on the site
premises suitable for a Child Welfare centre. Our present premises in Brookfield
House are inadequate on account of the large numbers attending.
I beg to thank the members of both Committees for their cordial help
during the past year; also all members of the staff for their ever-ready and
loyal co-operation.
I am,
Your obedient servant,
H. W. HARDING.
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