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57
consequently, that firm was invited to carry out such burials for
this Council as might be necessary on the same terms as applied to
the London County Council's contract.
Types of cases dealt with during the year, including hospital
deaths,were:—
(a) Deceased persons whose relatives were unknown or could
not be traced;
(b) Those whose relatives were traceable but were not,
immediately before the person's death, liable for his
maintenance and were not willing to arrange for burial;
(c) Those whose relatives were liable but failed to carry
out their responsibility.
With regard to the question of obtaining re-imbursement of
the costs of the funerals, it was found that where insurance policies
had been taken out, no difficulty was experienced in obtaining from
the insurance company concerned the cost of the burial. In such
cases the procedure was to inform the insurance company that the
burial had been carried out by the Council and give details of the
next-of-kin. Where there were no next-of-kin and there was an
amount remaining after allowing for the cost of the burial, the
Treasury Solicitor was informed.
Each case had to be dealt with according to its merits and the
particular circumstances.
During the year under review, 49 burials were carried out.
In 36 cases, the cost of burial has been recovered in full, and the
sum of £63 3s. 0d. is outstanding in respect of the remaining
13 cases.
It will be appreciated that in Hackney there are the following
important hospitals.
Mothers' Hospital.
Hackney Hospital.
Eastern Hospital.
German Hospital.
Metropolitan Hospital.
St. Joseph's Hospice.
These institutions receive patients from various parts of the London
area and are, therefore, probable sources of cases to be dealt with
under the Act, particularly with regard to the last named institution,
which is one which receives cases that are not expected to recover,