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These requests have come from university and college tutors, heads of colleges and schools,
employers including government departments, probation and police services, professional
associations and the like. A number of these requests are from organisations in the City Council's
area, but there were others and those I addressed in my own time.
In the course of my work as a whole and particularly in the question periods which have followed
the talks I have given, the question of the pros and cons of legislative action has inevitably
occurred. I have of course given this question a great deal of consideration.
In the light of the allegations of discrimination and points of view which have been put forward
by the various immigrant organisations which have developed over the last few years, as well as by
a number of organisations concerned with integration problems of mixed membership, it would
seem to be inevitable that in due course existing legislation will be extended to cover additional
areas.
As we know any form of legislation creates problems as well as relieving them, and in this explosive
field it is likely to be even more true. It is not surprising therefore that in introducing legislation
emphasis has needed to be placed on conciliation as well as law enforcement.
Promoting understanding and tolerance is very largely conciliatory work. The introduction of
legislation means that we can now expect to see these attempts ultimately reinforced by legal
sanction.
I do not under-estimate the enormous difficulties that will be involved in enforcing this legislation,
but believe it has now become necessary and wise to introduce it. I have two reasons in particular
for saying this. One, that I believe legislation will protect the man who is tolerant and understanding
from the intolerance and resentment of members of his own group who are neither. For instance,
an employer who does not practice discrimination and who is tolerant can be pressurised and sometimes
deterred in his efforts by employees, competitiors and consumers who do. The protecton
provided by legislation can I believe encourage the timorous and weak, who at heart abhor the
injustice of discrimination. The effects of this protection would, in my opinion, be quickly noticeable
in the employment field generally.
The second of these reasons relates to the second and future generations. We have seen in
other parts of the world that children can be brought up to accept racial intolerance and segregation
as a natural pattern because the law instructs them that this is so. I believe, by the same coin, that
children brought up in a country where discrimination and race hatred is outlawed will be encouraged
to accept as equal human beings their fellow men regardless of colour or ethnic grouping.
I have again been grateful for the friendly co-operation of colleagues in the City Hall and of the
advice which is so readily available.
HEALTH EDUCATION
Health Education continues to be maintained actively in the City Council's welfare centres, where
a monthly health education theme is developed through the media of films, filmstrips, posters,
leaflets, talks and discussion groups. One hundred and seventy-two films were screened in
welfare centres and schools during the year.
Local Projects:—
(a) Dental Health Exhibition.—This was the major health education event of the year with a
full scale Exhibition at St, Marylebone Town Hall, opened by the Lord Mayor and attended
by approximately 10,000 adults and school children. A full description of the Exhibition
is given by the City Council's Chief Dental Officer in another section of this report (page 58).
(b) Home Safety Display.—Health Visitors at the City of Westminster Health Society Centre,
Marsham Street, S.W.1., organised a home safety display at the welfare centre from 10th to
13th October 1966. Various aspects of home safety, with particular regard for the very
old and very young, were depicted together with talks, films and demonstrations.
Home Safety Conferences.—Representatives of the Department attended the National Home
Safety Conference which was held in October in London. Other representatives also attended the
Area 10 Sub-Committee Conference which was held in November 1966 at St. Pancras (Camden)
Town Hall. An Assistant Nursing Officer represents the Department at the quarterly meetings of
the Area 10 Sub-Committee which are usually held in Westminster.
Production of Posters.—Three posters were under production at the end of 1966; one on Cervical
Cytology associated with the opening of the cytology clinics in Westminster, and two on Mothercraft
designed by a parent attending one of the mothercraft classes run at a City Council welfare
centre.