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With the completion of first aid repairs and reoccupation of
housing and othor accommodation, man;; of the insanitary conditions
arising from unoccupied promises were removed.
During the year the supervision of the reconstruction of
approximately 575 yards of drainage was carried out by the Inspectors.
Emergency Water Supply.
During the year opportunity was taken to review the arrangements
for emergency supples from local wells in conjunction with
the Metropolitan Water d.
Disposal of Civilian War Dead»
The arrangements under tide Scheme wore satisfactorily maintained.
Removal of Furniture from Damaged Houses.
This Department is responsible for the scheme of removal and
storage of furniture from war damaged houses, the scheme being an
extension of that obtaining in pre-war days in connection with slum
clearance.
During the year 393 removals were effected. The number of
stores was reduced from 19 to 7 and disinfestation measures were
systematically carried out in all stores.
Public Shelters.
The use of public shelters fell naturally during the year
under review, but the sanitary conditions were maintained at a
high level. It is difficult to assess the extent to which public
shelters were responsible for the increasing incidence of Scabies,
but a new Cleansing Station complete with disinfecting plant was
installed during the year and proved of great value in the control
of cases. The personal cleanliness of shelterers upon occasion was
checked during the year.
Rehousing.
The rehousing and billeting of persons displaced by war
damage to their homes oontinued to necessitate considerable work
of certification of fitness of houses. Incidentally during the
year many hundreds of enquiries of a similar nature from the War
Damage Commission and numerous other Government Departments were
dealt with.
Other Emergency duties.
The enforcement of and investigation under Pood Control Orders
and. Defence Regulations are shared by the Inspectors of this Department
and those of the Weights and Measures Department.
Reconstruction.
During the year much consideration was given to the subject of
replanning and redevelopment and your Chief Inspector served as a
member of a local technical officers sub-committee to examine and
report upon the various aspects of reconstruction.
An interim report on "Housing in its relationship to Reconstruction"
was in preparation at the conclusion of the year and
was presented in January 1943 to the special Committee of the Council.
It is obvious that as East Ham is, at present, a dormitory
town that housing will form an important part of any replan, and
careful and detailed attention is being given to this aspect.
Routine Work.
Whilst the emergency duties of the Department in connection
with the repair of housing and maintenance of sanitary circumstances
h&a demanded priority, it has been possible and necessary to resume
torn of the more routine work. It is unfortunate that the statistical
data in respect of the emergency work cannot, for obvious reasons,
35.