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nor of a type authorised under Regulations made by the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation as
being a helmet recommended as affording such protection. These Regulations prescribe the types of
helmet which may be sold or hired to motor cyclists as helmets which are recommended as affording
protection in the event of accident.
Visits were made to five premises in the Borough where these helmets are sold, and stocks were
inspected. In one instance helmets were found which did not comply with the British Standard
Specifications but they were not being sold or displayed for sale. It seems that an overseas market
was being sought and the attention of the Ministry was drawn to the matter.
Rag Flock and Other Filling Materials.
The Rag Flock and Other Filling Materials Act, 1951, is intended to ensure that the fillings for
upholstered and other stuffed articles shall be clean and wholesome. Standards of cleanliness are laid
down in Regulations made under the Act, which also provides for licensing of premises where the
fillings are manufactured or stored, and registration by the local authority of all business premises
where these materials are used. No premises in St. Marylebone are licensed for manufacture or storage
but ten premises, mainly those of upholsterers and manufacturers of cushions and pillows are registered.
Samples of hair and other fining materials taken during the year complied with the statutory
requirements.
Public Conveniences.
The usual supervision was exercised over the public sanitary conveniences and urinals. There are
in the Borough nine conveniences and five urinals for men, and six conveniences for women. Staff
shortages and other difficulties were experienced during the year and in order to maintain the services
it was found necessary to leave some of the conveniences temporarily unattended. However, no
vandalism was suffered at any of these conveniences.
Now established in its ninth year at all public conveniences where wash basins are provided, the
free washing scheme, with paper towels and liquid soap, is maintaining its popularity with the general
public.
Public Cleansing and Salvage.
The Director of Public Cleansing has kindly provided the following information:—
"The following materials were dealt with during 1957: house and trade refuse, 34,717 tons,
street sweepings and gully slop, 2,334 tons, salvaged materials 2,103 tons. The sum of £11,480
was obtained from the sale of salvaged materials. In addition, £1,415 was received for the removal
of trade refuse and for the cleansing of petrol interceptors, etc.
The Council, in common with other local authorities, were again required to restrict deliveries
of wastepaper and cardboard to the mills, owing to the supply position, which resulted in reduced
revenue from this source.
A minimum twice-weekly refuse collection was maintained throughout the Borough, and in many
cases a thrice-weekly service was provided. All street gullies were mechanically cleansed at least
six times during the year, and the streets were swept at least once daily.
Orders were placed for a fleet of eleven new diesel-powered tractors and ten trailer bodies for the
refuse collection service, and most of these had been put into commission by the end of the year.
A further diesel-powered refuse container vehicle of improved type was also purchased for the
removal of portable containers from the increasing number of blocks of flats and offices being erected
in St. Marylebone.
A machine designed by the Department for spreading salt and grit on footways, etc., when snow
or icy conditions are experienced, has been manufactured and successfully marketed by an engineering
firm specialising in street cleansing equipment. Six of these machines, named ' The St. Marylebone
Master Spreader,' have already been purchased by the Council and have proved most effective,
enabling snow to be removed before consolidation, thereby considerably reducing labour and
material costs."
Burial or Cremation of the Dead.
Under section 50 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, it is the responsibility of the Council to
arrange for the burial or cremation of any person who has died or been found dead in the Borough,
and for whom no suitable arrangements for disposal of the body have been or are being made.
Nine such burials were arranged during the year.