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45
SANITARY SUPERVISION OF THE BOROUGH.
Work of the Sanitary Inspectors.
On the outbreak of war there was a material reduction in
the number of complaints received from householders and the
number received during 1940 was considerably lower than it
was in 1938. Much of the work in connection with housing has
ceased. On the other hand the inspectors have been called upon
to perform important new duties which have more than counterbalanced
this reduction in the ordinary work and has involved
considerable periods of overtime. During the period of intense
enemy activity over London in the autumn, half the Sanitary
Inspectors acted as billeting officers, finding homes for the
homeless. All of them have assisted in the routine inspection
of public air raid shelters and in rapid surveys, after air raids,
of houses damaged by enemy action.
During most of the year 19 inspectors have been available,
in place of the normal number of 20, but in December Mr. P. P.
Leacock was appointed in a temporary capacity for the inspection
of air raid shelters.
A summary of the inspections made by the Sanitary
Inspectors is given in Table XVII. and details of the sanitary
operations carried out by them are given in Table XVIII.
Water Supply—Cutting-off Notices.
Notices were received from the Metropolitan Water Board
that the water supply had been withdrawn from 171 premises. In
four cases the supply was cut off for non-payment of rates, in
46 for defects in the service, in 119 because the premises had
become vacant and in two at the owners' request.