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31
PUBLIC MORTUARY.

SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE AREA.
Since the work of the Sanitary Inspectors is reported under this
heading I feel it necessary briefly to mention and so place on record
the heavy increase of work' that has been carried out by that section
of the staff. This increase has, of course, caused additional work
for the clerical staff, but it is mainly on the Sanitary Inspectors that
the work has fallen.
The figures set out later give an indication of the work involved
but they cannot present a picture of the incidental difficulties which
beset the work. It will be appreciated that as a result of war
damage and lack of ordinary maintenance during the war years,
house property and living accommodation in the Borough was in
very bad condition and people were living in circumstances which
called for urgent remedy.
While the war was on, and immediately afterwards, the public
realised that repairs could not be carried out and they patiently
endured all kinds of discomforts. Later they were buoyed up with
the prospect of the Council repairing the war damage and still
remained patiently waiting for this to be done. When, however,
the Council decided not to carry out further war damage repairs
and informed occupiers that it was for the owners to do such further
repairs as might be necessary under licence, tenants became restive
and turned to the Public Health Department to bring them some
measure of relief by the service of notices under the Public Health
(London) Act, 1936, requiring the owners to do the necessary repair
work.