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14
Cleansing and Disinfection, Essex (Parasitic Mange)
Order, 1909.
Lamps Marking Roads Obstructions.
Provision of Means of Escape from Fire in case of
certain Factories and Workshops.
Defacing Pavements, etc.
MENTAL DEFECTIVES.
Work of the Voluntary Association.
Visitation.
The Essex Voluntary Association during 1927 continued to
carry out in East Ham the duties of ascertainment and supervision
delegated to them by the Borough under the Mental Deficiency
Act, 1913. The Association has also visited and befriended a
number of defectives who are not subject to be dealt with under
the Act. Special reports on home conditions for the East Ham
Council, for the Board of Control and for the Visiting Justices
have also been made by the Association.
In addition, the Association visited and reported quarterly
to the East Ham Education Committee on feeble-minded children
not in regular attendance at a special school.
Experience of 14 years' operation of the Mental Deficiency
Act leads one to believe that the number of defectives needing
institutional care is far smaller than was at first supposed.
It has become apparent that it is usually only when the lack
of training and occupation has resulted in the defective becoming
wilful and beyond control that the authorities are besieged to
provide institution care. The Mental Deficiency Act now makes
it incumbent on local authorities to provide training and occupation
for defectives. Occupation centres are thus becoming of
increasing usefulness and importance.
Occupational Classes.
The Woodwork Centre at St. Barnabas Church Room was
held for 206 sessions. The number of boys on the Register was
14. The average attendance was 10'8.
The Training Centre at St. Michael's Institute for imbecile
children (excluded from special school) and for older girls was
held for 133 sessions. There were 21 on the Register, with an
average attendance of 13.