View report page

51
(c) Rat Extermination.—The Council has for many years
provided a free service to householders and no variation has
been made during the year. In nearly all cases of complaint
investigation has revealed defective drainage and immediate
steps have been taken to remedy defects.
During the year 8,115 visits were made by the
ratcatchers and 6,436 rats were destroyed.
(d) Legal Proceedings.—The following statement indicates the
legal proceedings undertaken during the year:—
Public Health Act, 1936.—Abatement of Nuisances—
Cases withdrawn (Nuisance abated) 1
Food Control.—Contravention of Rationing Orders—
Penalties inflicted 3
Dismissed on payment of costs 7
(e) Drainage.—A special investigation of pollution of a ditch
involved considerable expenditure of time and revealed
improper connection of foul water drain to storm water
drainage. Steps were taken to correct these conditions.
HOUSING.
At the conclusion of the year the housing situation was more acute
than at any time during the war in as much as despite the further housing
damage the population tended to remain. Apart from the
extensive programme of house repair it is obvious that the housing
situation has been made the more serious by the loss of further houses.
By the end of the year nearly 2,000 houses had been demolished
(since 1939) which means that approximately 2,500 families are
homeless. With 5-6,000 marriages in the Borough the housing need
may prove quite insoluble unless rehousing outside the Borough be
undertaken.
During the year consideration was given to the future use of the
North Woolwich area for housing purposes, the area having been
extensively damaged by enemy action.
(a) Overcrowding.— During the year 21 cases of overcrowding
were investigated but such investigations and surveys will
be useless unless and until new housing becomes available.
It is obvious that serious overcrowding will manifest itself
so soon as evacuees and service men return.