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13
The problems in relation to housing dealt with by the Department were
aggravated by the acute housing shortage, notwithstanding the measures taken
by the Council for its relief.
During the year considerable progress was made in the provision of new
houses by the Council. Some 460 permanent and temporary houses were completed,
bringing the total number of dwellings erected since the war to 963. At
the end of December 474 further dwellings were under construction.
Building on the new Coldharbour Farm Estate commenced in February, and
the first completed house was opened by the Minister of Health on the 12th July,
1947. By the end of the year 54 houses had been built and occupied on the
Estate, and houses were being erected under five separate contracts, including
one for 92 dwellings to be built by Direct Labour.
In addition, 95 houses were built by private enterprise and 119 temporary
dwellings by the London County Council.
Squatters. Many of the squatters, who last year occupied two army camps,
left for various reasons and at the end of the year 55 families remained. Although
all reasonable adaptations and additions had been carried out, the accommodation
could never have been made wholly satisfactory and as each hut became vacant
it was rendered unuseable.
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF FOOD.
Milk. The number of milk premises on the register on the 31st December
was 58. The standard of the milk supply was satisfactory ; practically all the milk
distributed in Woolwich is heat treated. All the 263 samples submitted for
chemical analysis contained 3 per cent, or more of fat. The phosphatase test for
adequate heat treatment was satisfied in 265 samples, and the methylene blue test
for the keeping quality of milk in 144 samples. Only 1 sample failed to satisfy
the methylene blue test, the phosphatase test being satisfied in all cases.
Meat Supplies. The one slaughterhouse used in the Borough during the year
is under contract to the Ministry of Food. Up to September these premises had
only occasionally been used. From this month, however, owing to the closure
of slaughterhouses in nearby Kent towns, the Ministry concentrated the slaughtering
at these premises ; so much so that it was found necessary for the Council to utilise
the full-time services of three inspectors for the inspection of carcases.
Due to a change in the method of slaughtering, the flow of carcases is now much
more rapid as compared with pre-war and the arrival of the beasts for slaughter
is irregular. As all carcases must be inspected within a reasonable time of killing,
the staff were frequently kept on duty late. This work has been further increased
by the fact that the grade of bovine animals slaughtered is much below that of the
pre-war quality, this necessitating an even more detailed inspection.
The number of animals slaughtered and inspected at this slaughterhouse was:—
cattle, 8,438; sheep, 16,010; pigs, 293; calves, 1,235.
Premises where Food is Prepared or Offered for Sale. Routine
visits were paid by the sanitary inspectors to all food premises in the Borough.
The number of such inspections was 3,234.