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Boating and Paddling Pools.
A series of macroscopical and bacteriological tests of the water in the four
paddling and boating pools carried out during the year showed that the standard
of the water in the pools should be improved. At my request, the pools were
emptied, cleansed and refilled with clean water more frequently, which resulted
in some improvement. It has indicated, however, the necessity of some more
effective form of purification and arrangements were made for this to be instituted
at the beginning of the next season.
Mortuary.
Public mortuary facilities are provided at the Council's premises at Sunbury
Street. These facilities have been little used in recent years owing to the centralisation
in London of Coroners' Courts.
Exhumations.
Four exhumations, two at Plumstead Cemetery and two at Eltham Cemetery,
were carried out during the year on the authority of Exhumation Licences issued
under the Burial Act, 1857, by the Home Secretary. A sanitary inspector attended
on each occasion and all necessary precautions to safeguard the public health were
observed.
Burial or Cremation of the Dead.
Under Section 50 of the National Assistance Act, 1948, the Borough Council
has a duty as sanitary authority to arrange for the burial or the cremation of a
person who has died or is found dead in the area, where no other arrangements have
been made for the disposal of the body. The Council is empowered to recover the
cost of burial from the estate of the deceased person.
During the year 16 burials were undertaken by the Borough Council at a total
cost of £110 8s. 6d., of which £67 15s. 2d. was recovered, leaving a net cost to the
Council of £42 13s. 4d.
Cemeteries.
Three cemeteries are owned by the Borough Council and administered by
the Town Clerk's Department. The following table gives details of interments
during the last three years at these cemeteries:—

Street Cleansing and Refuse Disposal.
During 1951, 44,142 tons of house and trade refuse were collected and, with
the trade refuse delivered by various tradesmen, a total of 51,556 tons was dealt
with at the Council's destructor. The salvaged material, weighing 1,712 tons,
yielded £11,719 when sold. The raw kitchen waste dealt with was 2,987 tons and
realised £49,343. At the piggery, 423 pigs were maintained and the sale of pigs
realised £4,610.
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