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the owner and tenants being, apparently, because the owner was
not prepared to do work at certain houses occupied by persons he
did not wish as tenants. In the course of the dispute the question
of the standard of the original construction of the premises came
forward. A similar issue was raised more particularly on behalf of
the owner-occupiers of another estate of more recent construction,
from which it appears that the building bye-laws in force in any
district give disappointingly little power for the inspectors to insist
on a high standard of construction. In one instance it seemed that
the building bye-laws were powerless to prevent a form of construction
which resulted, before the premises were occupied, in such
a degree of dampness in the living room that there would have
been no hesitation on the part of the public health department,
on the premises becoming inhabited, of serving a notice to abate
the nuisance. A depressingly large amount of property erected in
this district is of very poor initial construction. Given occupation
by careful tenants, these houses might survive; but it seems that
there is much that is occupied by careless tenants, and this will,
in a few years, have to be considered with a view to demolition.
From the earliest days of the newly-constituted Council in 1934
it had been agreed that certain premises were needed for increasing
the efficiency of the health services of the district. As yet none
has materialised. The Isolation Hospital seemed at last to be well
on the way to erection. The fate of the Central Clinic became
linked up with that of the Town Hall, Council Offices, or Civic
Buildings. The very modest proposal for a small clinic, which was
so badly needed near the Kenmore Estate, became lost in more
ambitious proposals which it has since been decided were impracticable.
Had it not been for the war it seems probable that added
clinic facilities would, by this, actually have been made available
for the population in certain parts of the district—in premises
erected by the County Council.
I am taking this opportunity of expressing my appreciation of
the work carried out by the staff of the Public Health Department.
Not only were additional burdens thrust upon them by A.RP.,
and, more particularly, by increases in the volume of their own
work arising out of the war, but this had to be done by what
remained of a curtailed staff. This extra work, which has fallen,
not only to each section, but, to a great degree, to almost every
member of each section, has been undertaken ungrudgingly and
uncomplainingly, even though long additional hours were worked.
For their help I accord them my most sincere thanks.
I have the honour to be,
Mrs. Leech and Gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
Council Offices, CARYL THOMAS,
Harrow-on-the-Hill. Medical Officer of Health
25th October, 1940.