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19
Closing Orders were made on 4 rooms and an undertaking received regarding 2 rooms. Where
the occupiers could not be given alternative accommodation immediately, they received additional
points increasing their degree of priority for rehousing and until they can be provided with other
accommodation the operation of the closing orders remains in abeyance. Closing orders on 19 rooms
were determined and orders on 5 rooms were varied.
Land Charges Act, 1925.
The Town Clerk referred to the Department 1,788 enquiries relating to details of any outstanding
notices, orders or other restrictions on the properties concerned.
Immigrants.
The south-eastern corner of the Borough is contiguous with Soho and, as might be expected,
contains a cosmopolitan population in which immigrants from Cyprus and European countries
predominate. During the year, 49,700 West Indians, 6,000 Indians and 2,500 Pakistanis are reported
to have arrived in England but very few of them appear to have become resident in St. Marylebone.
Common Lodging Houses.
There are two common lodging houses in the Borough. One accommodating 391 men is run by the
Salvation Army, at No. 2, Burne Street and premises in Lisson Street. The other, conducted by
the Church Army, at Portman House, No. 10, Daventry Street, is registered for 85 women.
Regular inspections were made and at the quarterly fire inspections it was found that the firefighting
equipment provided and the precautions taken were satisfactory in both lodging houses.
Houses in Multiple Occupation: Artificial Lighting of Common Staircases.
Byelaws were made by the London County Council in 1938 under Section 6 of the Housing Act,
1936, for securing the provision of adequate means for lighting common staircases of houses in multiple
occupation. The enactment under which the Byelaws were made was repealed by the Housing Repairs
and Rents Act, 1954.
The power to make such Byelaws having been restored, and conferred upon Metropolitan Borough
Councils under Section 63 of the London County Council (General Powers). Act, 1956, Draft Byelaws
prepared by the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee, and approved in principle by
the Ministry of Housing and Local Government, were adopted by the Borough Council and came into
effect on 15th November, 1960. The substance of the new Byelaws is set out on page 42.
SECTION E.—INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD
Food and Drugs Analysis.
The Public Analyst (Mr. Thomas McLachlan, D.C.M., A.C.G.F.C., F.R.I.C., M.I.Biol.) has submitted
the following report on the year's work :—
" During the year, 420 samples of food and drugs were examined. Of these, 5 were taken formally
and 415 informally.

A bottle of milk was submitted and, when filled, it was seen that an area 4½ ins. x 1½ ins. was
covered with minute black particles, but when the bottle was emptied these particles were barely
visible although they were still adherent to the glass. The milk was satisfactory showing that the
bottle had passed through the cleansing machine. A bottle of cream contained some general dirt,
but the cream appeared to be satisfactory and had not commenced to go bad, indicating that this
bottle also must have been through the cleansing process without the dirt being removed.