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removal. Unfortunately it was not possible to ascertain who
owned the land, but as the caravans were subsequently removed
no further action became necessary.
Coloured Immigrants.
At the request of the Public Health Committee a report
was submitted at their meeting in October, 1956, on the question
of coloured immigrants in the Borough, particularly West
Indians. Although there were no reliable up-to-date statistics
available there were 137 premises in the Borough known to the
public health inspectors to house coloured people, whereas
at the time of the last census in 1951, West Indians in Camberwell
numbered only 66.
Although there were a few complaints of overcrowding
involving West Indians, no public health problem of any magnitude
arose.
Sanitary Inspectors (Change of Designation) Act, 1956.
This Act which received the Royal Assent on 2nd August,
1956, provides that Sanitary Inspectors appointed under the
Local Government Act, 1933, or the London Government Act,
1939, shall be designated public health inspectors.
The term "sanitary inspector" has for long been considered
to be out of date and the new designation, it is felt, reflects more
comprehensively the ever widening scope of the duties of these
officers.
Student Public Health Inspectors Training Scheme.
The shortage of public health inspectors has for some time
been a matter of increasing concern to local authorities throughout
the country, and in the early part of the year the Public
Health Committee asked for a report on a scheme for the recruitment
and training of such officers. This report was approved
and referred to the Establishment Committee who agreed to
operate a scheme on the lines suggested. It was decided initially
to appoint two students although it is hoped that after experience
of the working of the scheme and when additional office
accommodation becomes available for the staff of the Public
Health Department, it will be possible to increase this number
to four students.
Advertisements were accordingly issued and 26 applications
were received. Two of the applicants were duly appointed in
accordance with the Qualified General Division scale of salaries,
and commenced their training in September, 1956. It is one of