View report page

32
and adapted as a gas-decontamination centre. Seventeen volunteers
from the various food-trades in the Borough, together with five
permanent members of the Sanitary and Housing Departments,
constituted the personnel, under the supervision and direction of your
Chief Sanitary Inspector.
All were trained in anti-gas precautions and given the extra
training necessary for handling gas-contaminated foodstuffs. The
training was ably conducted by Mr. B. Aisthorpe (Acting Deputy)
and Mr. E. S. Power.
Complete preparations were made, and approved by the Ministry
of Food, for the working of the Service if called upon.
CONCLUSION.
This is the last Report which I have the honour to present for
your consideration, and by the time it is in print I shall—with great
regret—have ceased to hold office owing to compulsory retirement
under the Superannuation Act.
I have completed fifty years in the Local Government Service—
all in Public Health and Sanitary Administration or environmental
hygiene. The last thirty-five years have been spent in Richmond as
your Chief Sanitary Inspector and Housing Officer.
I wish to record my thanks to the Council, especially to the
Health and Housing Committees, for their unfailing interest and
support, and also to the Officers of the Council and the Staff of the
Health and Housing Departments for their invaluable assistance and
co-operation.
GEORGE LAWS, M.B.E., F.R.San. I., F.S.I.A.
Chief Sanitary Inspector and Housing Officer.