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found necessary. The committee also adopted the title
“Erith Old People's Welfare Committee."
In order to facilitate the attainment of these aims, the
Committee appointed a Liaison Officer in each of the
Borough's electoral Wards, with the object of forming teams
of workers to cover the Ward, in order that the needs of the
old people could be fully assessed. Such an organisation does,
of course, require a great deal in the way of spade work, before
practical results are obtained and towards the end of the year
a widespread public appeal for funds was circulated, which
had a moderate response.
Close co-operation was maintained with officers in charge
of local statutory services, as well as with all voluntary
organisations in the Borough, and it is to be hoped that the
coming months will show much progress in the fulfilment of
the aims of the Committee.
C(15) National Assistance Act, 1948, Section 50
(Burials)
During the year 3 burials were carried out by the Council
under the provisions of the above Act.
Case No. 1
Deceased was a male, aged 83, had no known
relatives and was a widower living alone in one room.
His only source of income was his old age pension. No
burial grant was payable as the man was born before the
5th July, 1883.
Case No. 2
A woman aged 75 years, died in a local nursing home.
Enquiries revealed that she had no known relatives or
friends and was a spinster. No burial grant under the
National Insurance Act was payable in this case.
Case No. 3
A man aged 69 years, was found dead in a ditch
within the borough. Enquiries made by the police
revealed that this man's only relative was a brother who
was living as a tramp, this man had been contacted but was
not interested in making funeral arrangements in respect
of his brother. No other relatives could be traced. As
this man's date of birth fell before 5th July, 1883, no
burial grant was payable in this instance.