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6
PREFACE.
To the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors
of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich.
Madam Mayor, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to submit the Thirtieth Annual Report on the health of the
Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich.
For some years now it has been the practice to issue ordinary reports for four
years in succession, and then a more comprehensive or survey one. A survey
report was due this year, but the Minister of Health has requested that a report
of a simpler character should be prepared, containing however, information on
certain matters in more detail than has been given in the reports for the past few
years, and it is on this basis that the present report has been prepared.
On the 1st April, the Local Government Act, 1929, came into force, and as
a result the Boards of Guardians and the Metropolitan Asylums Board ceased to
exist. In the Metropolis the County Council became responsible for most of their
duties and functions, and the Borough Councils for the remainder. In the end
the only addition made to the work of the Health Department was the administration
of the Vaccination Acts.
The Act also changed the system of Government grants.in.aid, a block grant
being substituted for the percentage grants which were formerly received in respect
of the maternity and child welfare and the tuberculosis services.
Provision was made in the Act for the transfer or delegation of certain functions
of the County Council to the Borough Councils. It is a matter of regret that,
although the matter was under consideration both by the County Council and the
Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee, no scheme had been submitted
to the Minister for approval by the end of the year.
A certain amount of explanation is needed regarding the vital statistics of the
year. These are usually calculated on a mid.year population furnished by the
Registrar.General. This year, however, he did not furnish this figure but suggested
that, until the results of the 1931 Census were known, it would be better