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To overcome this, the Council have agreed to permit the existing
inspectors to use their own cars on official work on a "casual-user"
basis.
The Council have a scheme for training students as public
health inspectors, and two men work in the department. They are
giving increasingly valuable assistance to the inspectorial staff, whilst
undergoing training. The Minister of Health has stated that the best
training is obtained by those students who are engaged by local authorities
specifically as pupils or student public health inspectors and he has no
doubt that local authorities will bear this in mind and consider the
advantages of adopting a system of paid pupillage or, where appropriate,
of extending existing arrangements.
Women's Voluntary Services. It is appropriate that in this,
the year in which the Service comes of age, a special tribute should be
paid to the work in connection with old people's welfare so ably carried
out by the local branch, under their indefatigable Centre Organiser,
Mrs. Bertha Hastings, O.B.E. Possibly their greatest service to the old
people is in connection with the distribution of meals on wheels. During
the year 1958/59, they undertook the delivery of 51,002 meals and, in
addition to this, they undertook the service of meals at five luncheon
clubs. Their activities also include the operation of the only old
people's club in daily session in Kensington. They also undertake the
distribution of library books, visiting old people, acting as escorts,
and operating a much appreciated clothing store.
In the words of an appreciation appearing in "The Times",
"Help - in every walk of life-is the key word of the organisation
One of the most remarkable voluntary forces in all history." This is a
magnificent Service whose "organisers promise a million women for a
National emergency although they declare that they have not the slightest
idea of their current membership as they do not keep any register of
members nor do they ask for subscriptions. Workers, however, have to
hold a permit in order to be able to wear the famous green uniform for
which they themselves pay."
I am indeed happy to have this opportunity of joining the
National praise of this "organised, hard working, motherliness on the
grand scale" and in particular to pay a personal tribute to the local
work so efficiently organised by Mrs. Hastings over the past seventeen
years.
VITAL STATISTICS
The table set out on the next two pages gives the important
vital statistics for 1958, together with comparative figures for the
previous seven years.