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The agent for the importation of the cream was most co-operative, and sent telegrams to all
his customers instructing them to return any cans of this cream still in their possession.
The batches which had been imperfectly sterilised were condemned locally, as were also the
cans which showed external signs of unsoundness. The remainder were collected at a wharf in
Bermondsey and were thence returned to the country of origin.
PUBLIC HEALTH (PRESERVATIVES ETC. IN FOOD) REGULATIONS.
Thiourea in Oranges.
Early in the year the Minister of Food drew attention to the possible use by certain orange
growers of thiourea and of fungicides containing thiourea as rot and mould suppressants, and to
the fact that thiourea could penetrate the skin of citrus fruits and find its way into the juice. He
advised that thiourea fell within the definition of "preservatives" in the above Regulations.
Eight samples of oranges were taken at Riverside Wharves in the City and submitted to the
Public Analyst. Five samples, all of Valencia oranges, were found to have been treated with
thiourea which was present up to as much as 13 parts per million of the whole orange. Jaffa and
Seville oranges were found to be free from thiourea.
It was then the end of the season for the importation of Spanish oranges, but importers were
informed that in future the importation of oranges treated with thiourea would be prohibited
under the Public Health (Preservatives etc. in Food) Regulations, and were advised to communicate
with the growers promptly so as to prevent them using thiourea in the next season's crop.
HOUSING.
Housing Consolidation Regulations, 1925, No. 866, Part IV. Inspection of District:—
1. Number of houses which on inspection were considered to be unfit for human
habitation:—
52 dwellings in 17 premises.
2. Number of houses in which the defects were remedied in consequence of informal action
by the Local Authority or their Officers:—
23
3. Number of representations made to the Local Authority with a view to (a) the serving
of notices requiring the execution of works or (b) the making of demolition or closing
orders:—
(a) none.
(b) none.
4. Number of notices served during the execution of works:—
None.
5. Number of houses which were rendered fit after service of formal notices:—
None.
6. Number of demolition or closing orders made:—
None.
7. Number of houses in respect of which an undertaking was accepted under subsection (2)
of section 19 of the Housing Act, 1930:—
None.
8. Number of houses demolished:—
None.
The re-housing of the occupants of unfit dwellings is proceeding slowly as suitable accommodation
becomes available. Meanwhile the dwellings are maintained in as good condition as is
reasonably practicable having regard to their age. Many of the occupants are unwilling to leave,
because they do not want to move out of the City and they pay very low rents. For the most parts
the owners would be glad to get the houses empty, as the premises would then be converted to
commercial use. It is therefore not necessary to issue closing orders and demolition orders, save
in exceptional cases. I think I could safely say that, though there are a number of people in the
City living under very unsatisfactory conditions, by reason of the age of the premises and the
lack of amenities, which by modern standards of housing are regarded as necessities, there are no
persons who are really desperately badly housed.
During the year 34 families were re-housed, including 16 families transferred within the
properties under the control of the Corporation.
The number of housing applications outstanding on 31st December, 1954, was 625 families,
representing 1,541 persons, but these are mainly families which have become overcrowded in
quite good accommodation in the City, or in the Corporation's own housing estate, or who are
living outside the City and yet have a claim to be housed by the Corporation of the City.
In my last Annual Report I gave a list of all the housing, within and without the City, under
the control of the Corporation.
The new housing accommodation under construction or in prospect comprises:—
1. the Golden Lane Estate of 580 flats and 20 shops.
2. the Sydenham Hill Estate of 30 flats and 27 houses.
In addition:—
at Artizans Dwellings a block of flats is being cleared so that the accommodation can be
modernised. This process will be continued block by block, till all the flats have been made
self-contained. These improvements must inevitably result in a reduction in the number
of flats:
at Dron Buildings in Stepney the rebuilding of a block of 9 flats destroyed by enemy
action is in progress, and plans have been passed for the modernisation of 76 flats:
at Blake House, Lambeth, 47 flats are being modernised.