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THE HEALTH OF BARKING
the bath. Some of the difficulties met with during the year in keeping the water
in a satisfactory condition have arisen from the neglect of this hygienic practice.
FACTORIES ACT, 1937.
In Appendix D will be found statistics in relation to the administration of this
Act.
SANITARY INSPECTION OF THE AREA.
During the year every endeavour has been made to establish the sanitary
inspection of the area at the pre-war level of efficiency. Good progress was made
in this direction but we were still unable to carry out the schedule drawn up.
This was in part due to the number of sanitary inspectors being two below
establishment. In addition, there continued throughout the year a shortage of
building labour and materials, preventing the repair work which had become so
necessary after the war years with the consequent decay arising from excessive room
occupation. The need for permits to carry out this or that item of work absorbed
time and energy often resulting in irritation and frustration. Where repairs were
achieved the work was done always after a battle of opposing forces.
Two years after the end of the war housewives reasonably expected the worst
discomforts of housing accommodation to have been removed, and it is easy to
understand the irritation felt when the ordinary minor repairs and redecorations
which so appreciably affect the life of the housewife could not be carried out.
Such defects as exist have been emphasised because so often the occupier of the
house must again suffer the occupation by workmen to make good, in some instances
for a second or third time, work which had been inadequately attempted under that
general description of war damage repairs.' In blitzed areas, such as Barking,
the twin discomforts of overcrowding and war damage repairs have made a heavy
drain upon the nervous and physical strength of the women of the household. In
an effort to make the lives of the Barking tenants more cheerful wherever substantial
repairs and redecorations could be effected everything was done towards this end
Not only was this process in operation in the homes but also in all public buildingspicture-dromes,
public houses, clubs, shops and canteens. At the end of the
year an improvement was noticeable but at the present rate of progress it is expected
that at least another two years will elapse before conditions become normal.
Statistics in relation to the work of the Sanitary Inspectors are given in
Appendix D.
(B) HOUSING.
STATISTICS.
Your Chief Sanitary Inspector, who is Rehousing Officer for the Borough
has supplied the statistics, to be found in Appendix E, which show the detailed
position in the Borough at the end of the year.
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