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Burial or Cremation of the Dead.
Under the provisions of Section 50 of the National Assistance Act.
1948, it is the duty of the City Council as a Sanitary Authority to cause
to be buried or cremated the body of any person who has died or is
found dead in the area, where no other arrangements have beeD made
for the disposal of the body.
The Council is empowered to recover the cost of burial from the
estate of the deceased, and is eligible to receive payments in respect of
the cost of such burial from death grants payable under the provisions of
the National Insurance Act, 1946.
Where persons without known relatives die in the City, it is frequently
necessary not only to arrange for their burial, but to dispose of the
contents of their homes. This course is necessary to enable the proceeds
to be applied towards the cost of burial and also to avoid rent accruing and
to release the accommodation for housing purposes as early as possible.
During the year 33 burials were undertaken by the City Council in
its cemetery at Hanwell, the requests for such burials being received
from the following sources:—
H.M. Coroner's Officer 17
Relatives of the deceased 9
Friends of the deceased 3
Hospitals in the City 4
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