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9.
in touch with statutory and voluntary facilities available.
Even so, many more voluntary visitors are required,
and it would be well if visiting could be arranged on a
street basis by kind neighbours, as was the Warden's
Service during the war. Library books are distributed by
the W.V,S.,and.the Association arranges holidays for pensioners
.
Home Bathing of Aged Persons. Under the schemeccramenced'last
year ,for the bathing of aged persons in
their own homes by means of portable bathing equipment,
31 persons wore bathed, and 48 baths were given.
DECEASED PERSONS.
Mortuary. Fifteen bodies were received in the
Council's Mortuary during the year.
Inquests. Inquests were held on 56 residents of the
Borough, two-of whom were children under 5 years of ago:
13 deaths were due to suicide, 23 were accidental, and 20
duo to other causes (5 natural causes, 6 misadventure,
2 self neglect, 4 open verdict, 1 manslaughter, 1 excessive
drinking and 1 want of attention at birth).
Burials. Section 50 of the National Assistance Act
1948 places, a duty on the Council to arrange for the burial
of any persons found dead within the borough, where no
private arrangements are made. .
Forty such burials took; place during the year at a
cost to. the Council of £193, which was irrecoverable from
the estates of the deceased persons.
FREE WASHING FACILITIES.
To promote-food hygiene and,cleanliness and hygiene
generally, the Council inaugurated in May free washing
facilities in the public conveniences-. The service is
necessarily limited at present because of structural
adaptations required in some of the conveniences.
So far there have been 3,000 free washes per month.
Moreover, the number of prepaid washes has shown an Increase
during the same period.