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Burial of the Dead
Section 50 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, places upon the Borough Council
the responsibility of causing to be buried or cremated the body of any person who has
died in the area, or been found dead in the area, in any case where it appears that no
suitable arrangements for the disposal of the body are otherwise likely to be made. Such
cases are those of persons who die in poor circumstances, and, with few exceptions, have
no known relatives.
Hospital Management Committees and Boards of Governors of Teaching Hospitals
have been asked by the Minister to exercise their powers to arrange and pay for the burial
or cremation of such persons dying in hospital. This Circular does not apply to voluntary
hospitals, of which there are two in the Borough, namely the French Hospital, Shaftesbury
Avenue, and the Italian Hospital, Queen Square.
During the year fourteen cases were dealt with, at a total cost of £228 11s. 6d. The
total amount recovered during the year in respect of burials was £92 17s. 2d. The cases
had come to the notice of the Public Health Department from the following sources:—
Coroner's Officer 7
French Hospital 2
Friends or Relatives of Deceased 4
Italian Hospital 1
New Legislation
The Housing Act, 1957
This Act which came into force on the 1st September, 1957, repealed and re-enacted
in a consolidated form the provisions of the earlier Housing Acts, with the exception of
financial provisions, which are to be consolidated in a later enactment.
The Rent Act, 1957
This Act came into operation on the 6th July, 1957. Its main effects are to release
a substantial number of houses from the control of the Rent Acts; to provide for the
exemption of new tenancies from control; to enable further categories of houses to be
decontrolled from time to time by Ministerial Order; to fix new rent limits for statutory
tenancies and other tenancies to which the Rent Acts continue to apply; and to provide
a procedure for effecting an increase of rent under the Acts. It also provides for a
reduction of the rent limit where a dwelling house is in a state of disrepair, and empowers
a local authority to issue certificates of disrepair.
Public Health Officers (Deputies) Act, 1957
This Act amends s. 115 of the Local Government Act, 1933, and ss.82 and 83 of the
London Government Act, 1939. The effect of the amendments is that the consent of the
Minister of Health to the appointment by local authorities of deputies of medical officers
of health and public health inspectors is no longer required.
Public Analysts Regulations, 1957
These Regulations which came into operation on the 27th May, 1957, re-enact
substantially the provisions of the Public Analysts Regulations, 1939, as respects the
qualifications necessary for persons to be appointed as public analysts, and introduce
a revised form of certificate specifying the result of analysis in pursuance of s.92 of the
Food and Drugs Act, 1955.