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5.—Health Visitors.
On July 10th, the Board of Education issued a memorandum and draft
regulations for the training of the above. 1 do not understand why they
were not issued by the Ministry of Health, who issued a circular letter dated
July 14th. The object, of course, is to secure the appointment of women,
who possess a good general education, followed by a course of special training ;
with this object I cordially agree.
6.—Housing Acts 1 and 2.
The general effects of these Acts is to give extended powers to the
Government and further, to place upon every local authority the duty of
considering the erection of working-class houses in their neighbourhood and
to make a report thereon to the Government. Neither time or space will
permit me now to discuss these two Acts in detail and perhaps it is well that
I should not do so, until I have had the advantage of seeing them for some
time in operation. Medical Officers of Health are impressed more than ever
with the necessity of passing an Act consolidating all the Acts and Regulations
which have been enacted since "The Housing of the Working Classes Act,
1890."
On November 29th, the Ministry of Health issued a volume on "Unfit
houses and unhealthy areas," which indicates the policy and practice to be
adopted by us in dealing with these matters; a second one (to follow) will
set out the law and regulations and procedure on these subjects.
7 —Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restriction)
Act, 1919
Section II is one of special interest to us. It gives the tenant the right
to apply to the Local Sanitary Authority for a certificate as to whether his
house is, or is not, reasonably fit for human habitation—or is, or is not, kept
in a reasonable state of repair. No doubt the Medical Officer of Health is the
officer intended to act for the Sanitary Authority and it would have been
better if this view had been definitely stated in the Act.
I presume that the nominal fee of 1s. payable to the Sanitary Authority
with such applications is merely an indication of its bona fide character. I do
not envy my Authority's position as referee between landlord and tenant.
8—Nursery Schools.
Regulations under Section 19 of the Education Act, 1918, were issued by
the Board of Education at the end of 1919.
8,—Maternity and Child Welfare
In November, the Ministry of Health issued a circular accompanied by
(1) a memorandum with regard to Day Nurseries and (2) a memorandum with
reference to Maternity and Child Welfare Centres.