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NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948 —SECTION 47
During the year, it was necessary to take court action under the
above Act in one case involving two persons.
When the case was first brought to the notice of the Public Health
Department, the District Sanitary Inspector visited the premises and
found a family of four living in the house. This family comprised two
brothers and two sisters, all of whom were elderly. One of the sisters
was the owner of the property.
The family occupied one floor and the whole house was in a deplorable
condition. Several attempts were made to have the premises cleaned,
but without appreciable success. The water supply had to be obtained
from the basement and this necessitated the old people carrying water up
a flight of stairs. The lavatory was out of order and there was no lighting
in the premises except for one paraffin oil lamp which stood in a bowl
half full of paraffin oil.
This lamp constituted a danger to the family, to the property and to
the neighbouring premises.
It was subsequently reported to the Department that the younger
brother had collapsed in the street, had broken his thigh bone and had
been removed to Hospital. He recovered and was then removed to an
Institution for the Aged where he still remains. In the meantime, the
elder brother collapsed and died in the house.
An application was made to the magistrate of the North London
Police Court for the removal of the two elderly ladies to an Institution.
The application was granted, but only one was removed. The other had
collapsed in the street a short time before the hearing of the application
and was removed to hospital. She subsequently recovered and was eventually
removed to an Institution.
Both these ladies are now being cared for by the London County
Council in Luxborough Lodge.
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948 —SECTION 50
During the year it was necessary to arrange the burial of one person
under the above Act.
This was a man, aged 82 years, who died in the Borough and who
had no relatives. He had no clothes or belongings of any value and no
death grant was payable in this case.
He died on the 20th November, 1950, and was buried on the 24th
November, 1950. The cost to the Council was £13 2s. Od.