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These were located at Banstead (9m. 14f.), at Bexley (13m. 31f.), at Cane Hill
(12m. 30f.), at Claybury (23m. 20f.), Colney Hatch (14m. 21f.) at Hanwell (12m.
24f.), at Horton (60f.), at Long Grove (23m. 26f.) and at West Park (10m. 14f.).
32. Patients who are chargeable to the county are those who have not acquired
a poor-law settlement in any parish of England and Wales or who have no status
of irremovability from any such parish, All patients when first received into the
mental hospitals are prima facie chargeable to the union or parish from which they
are sent. The parish authorities in the case of a patient who is found not to be
settled in or irremovable from their parish may give notice to the local authority
(the Council) of intention to obtain an order of a justice to adjudicate the chargeability
to the county. All such cases are enquired into by the chief officer of the
mental hospitals department, and where settlements can be found elsewhere steps
are taken to get the notices withdrawn. The attention of the parish authorities
is also drawn to cases in which, from information obtained, it would appear that
patients might be chargeable to out-county parishes.
County
patients.
33. The chief officer makes enquiries as to the ability of all patients, who are
chargeable to the county, to reimburse either wholly or in part the expenses of their
maintenance.
34. Inquiries have been made as to settlements of all patients concerning
whom the London boards of guardians have given notice of their intention to obtain
orders adjudicating the chargeability of the patients to the County of London,
with the result that 71 new notices were received, giving, with 4 cases standing
over from last year, a total of 75 cases to be dealt with. In 18 cases settlements
were found and the notices were withdrawn, in 45 cases orders were made on the
County of London, and 4 cases are still under consideration.
Chargeability
of County
patients.
35. The 45 patients adjudicated to the county appeared to belong to the
following countries: Ireland, 13; Scotland, 6; Ceylon, 3; India, 3; Russia, 3;
England, 2; France, 2; United States of America, 1; Asia Minor, 1; Australia, 1;
Czecho-Slovakia, 1; Cyprus, 1; Egypt, 1; British Guiana, 1; Norway, 1;
Sweden, 1; Switzerland, 1 ; West Indies, 1; Unknown, 2.
36. The number of patients chargeable to the county, as compared with the
total number chargeable to London boards of guardians and to the county, for
whom the Council was providing accommodation at the commencement of 1927,
and of previous years, was as follows *:—

37. It will be observed that since 1920 the numbers of patients chargeable to
the county and to London boards of guardians have shown a tendency to increase
slightly. In 1890 the number of patients chargeable to the county amounted to
5 per cent. of the total; in 1900 it had fallen to 3.2 per cent., and is now only 2.7
per cent., This is evidence of the careful investigation always made in cases which
boards of guardians seek to make chargeable to the County of London.
* Figures for 1890-1899, 1901-1909, 1911-1914 and 1916-1919 are given in tho Annual
Report for 1921 (Vol. II., p. 9).
14837 C