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8
and this ended one of the most pressing housing problems
ever faced by a local authority.
Atmospheric pollution is nowadays the most important
hazard to the health of the community. It is comparable in
its magnitude to the pollution of public water supplies in the
19th century before the provision of water-carriage sewerage
schemes and, the problems involved in its abolition are
probably even more complex. The atmosphere is becoming,
more and more, a new kind of public sewer into which every
kind of gaseous filth is discharged— from the domestic fire,
the factory chimney and of course the ever growing number
of motor vehicles, both diesel and petrol, which threaten to
bring chaos to our roads. The Clean Air Act of 1956 has
enabled local authorities to take the first step to control
black smoke emissions from the domestic hearth and factory
and much has already been achieved in some of the worst
"black areas" of the country. Despite its many shortcomings
the Act remains one of the most important and far-reaching
pieces of legislation on the Statute Book and the many
frustrations arising from its operation should be seen as the
teething troubles inherent in such a great task as the removal
of one of the main causes of chronic bronchitis, one
of the great killing diseases, and of cancer of the lung, of
which it is no doubt a contributory cause.
The Child Welfare Services were transferred to the Kent
County Council in 1948 under the National Health Service
Act, 1946. Now, the wheel has turned full circle and, as a
result of the London Government Act, 1963 the new London
Borough of Bexley will, on 1st April, 1965 become responsible
for the Health and Welfare and Children's services.
It is difficult not to feel some regret at the passing of the old
order but one cannot but welcome the great opportunities
and challenge which face the new Borough and which will,
surely, in years to come, bring about a fully integrated
Health service, close to the people it is designed to serve
and providing opportunities for the prevention of disease
and the promotion of health greater than ever before
particularly in the field of mental health and the welfare of
the elderly and the handicapped.
During 1963 Mr. L. E. King, Chief Public Health
Inspector retired after 25 years service in this capacity with
the Erith Borough Council. I wish to place on record my
appreciation of the help and support which I received from
him during his long and distinguished term of office.