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(3) SOCIAL CONDITIONS.,
(a) General.
After many years in the Public Service I am
coming to the conclusion that, where the infant mortality
in any area can be looked upon as "not too bad", the
general social conditions are not open to much adverse
comment.
For the past five years you have in Barking an
infant mortality of 40 per thousand births, which
compares more than favourably with tho rest of the
country, and is I believe an index that social conditions
are not too bad. This rule is not an invariable one
but I have no reason to believe that Barking is an
exception and think that you can take your relatively
satisfactory position with regard to infant mortality
as indicating that general social conditions are not
unsatisfactory.
00 Schemes of Relief.
My opinions on this matter have been expressed in
previous reports, viz., that it is desirable to unify these
schemes. I am pleased to report that during the year 1941
the Committee have revised their scales in respect of
Maternity and Child Welfare services.
(C) Unemployment.
The Ministry of Labour and National Service inform
me that for the year ended the 31st December, 19U1, the
local unemployed in this area was practically "Nil".
Even persons with poor industrial records due to
some physical reasons are finding work, who in former
days were considered as practically unemployable.
The demand for "Male" labour has far exceeded the supply
available, consequently substitution of "Female" labour
was introduced, with the result that several local
firms for the first time accepted female labour.
The shortage of labour has brought on to the
registers offers of part time employment, particularly
women, and whilst this scheme is more or less on trial
in this area, the demand for this type of labour is increasing.
(d) Travelling facilities.
Certain improvements in the travelling facilities
to and from Barking were, I believe, effected during
the year 1940. It appears to me however, that the
conditions today are far from satisfactory and I can only
continue to deplore the general inadequacy of the
travelling conditions.
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