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Housing - During the year under review a valuable
contribution to the public health was made by the
completion by the Corporation of 44 housing units,
18% of which had to be constructed outside the Borough.
A further 25 units were erected by private enterprise.
The Borough is almost completely built up, and
important facts on the density of the resident
population are to be found in Section A of the Report,
which is recommended for study.
The question of dealing with obsolete houses
claims inmediate attention, and the remarks made on
this subject in my letter to the Annual Report for
1952 are still valid.
The time has come for the demolition of those
dwellings which are incapable at reasonable cost of
being made fit. On the other hand there are in
Kingston many dwellings, the useful life of which
ought to be extended by immediate repair, and the
provision of basic sanitary amenities such as baths
and internal sanitation.
Staff - 1953 was the first full year of office for
Mr. G. C. Smith as Senior Sanitary Inspector, and I
take this opportunity of acknowledging his valuable
work in reorganising the Sanitary Department, and his
welcome help and support in all matters affecting the
public health.
It also saw the untimely death of Mr. F.D. Harvey,
Administrative Officer, quite suddenly after operation.
Mr,, Harvey was one of those specially valuable officers,
who had 30 years continuous service to the Health
Department. For many years he upheld the late Mr. H.T.
Perry in the work of the Sanitary Inspector, and
latterly more generally in the Public Health Department
as Administrative Officer. Mr. Harvey's work was highly
conscientious, and his service to Local Government in
all aspects always devoted. His sudden departure was
a great loss to the Department and the Corporation.
In conclusion I gratefully record my thanks for support
and encouragement in my work to His Worship the Mayor, Aldermen
and Corporation, and my professional colleagues on the staff of
the Corporation and in the Public Health Department®
I have the honour to be,
Your obedient Servant,
J.W. STARKEY.
Medical Officer of Health.