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The number of visits made by the Inspectors is slightly
less than last year, but as I have pointed out on previous
occasions this, in itself, is of little significance. In 1962:
there was a heavy back-log of routine inspections to make up,
but last year, with these arrears cleared off, more time could
be spent on each visit.
One figure which increased significantly was the number of
visits to dwelling houses re disrepair, nuisances, etc. This
however cannot be due to a deterioration in the general standard
of repair of dwelling houses. It is my opinion, and also that
of the district public health inspectors, that house property
in this district is in better repair at the present time than
it has been for a long time.
A more probable explanation is that the occupiers of rented
houses are no longer willing to accept without complaint defects
which a few years ago would have been considered commonplace.
If this tendency of the general public to become more fastidious
is in fact a correct explanation, it is a very welcome sign and
worthy of encouragement not only in the field of housing but in
every other aspect of public health endeavour.
Complaints.
The number of complaints received is substantially more
than last year with significant increases in the figures for
blocked drains, housing disrepair, offensive accumulations and
food.
Here again, l am convinced that the most likely explanation,
in most of these cases, is the increasingly high standard demanded
by the public in all matters affecting their environment. One
would like to think that the considerable amount of attention
paid by the Public Health Inspectors to the more simple and
homely aspects of health education in recent years has been a
contributory factor.
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