View report page

21
Flood warning (outside normal office hours):—
(а) The Lee Conservancy Board to give warning of
impending floods to the Duty Officer of the Public
Health Department at his home address.
(b) The Duty Officer to pass it on, should there be homeless
people, to the Warden, Southern Grove Lodge, and to
the Schoolkeeper/Caretaker of the accommodation to
be used.
(c) Rest centre to be opened and homeless persons
to be admitted. It is not thought that a working staff
would be required as persons admitted should be able
to care for themselves once they have settled in, but
control and general supervision of the centre will be
exercised by an officer of the Borough Council.
Further action in connection with the River Lea was necessary
in 1948, when early in the year rats coming from the banks of the
river were found to be seriously infesting an area lying between
the Hackney Navigation Cut and the river. In this area there are
no dwelling houses, but in Waterden Road and Eastway there are
ten large factories, and also within the area are situate the Hackney
Wick Stadium and two establishments belonging to the Ministry
of Supply. In conjunction with the factory owners and the Ministry
of Supply, each of whom operated within the boundaries of their
own establishments, and the Public Health Departments of the
neighbouring boroughs of Poplar and West Ham, who undertook
operations on their side of the Lea, a campaign of extermination
was planned. This campaign was put into operation during the
week 13th to 20th January, when 200 baiting points were prepared
along the river bank, and pre-baiting for six days showed a progressive
improvement in the "take." This was followed by the
laying of poison bait, over 8 lbs. of which was actually taken.
Post-baiting showed that the rat population had been reduced to
such minor proportions that only 15 baits were touched at all the
baiting points.
The River Lea has now given place as a source of complaint to
the bombed sites in the borough, and in each of the last few years
the department has been called upon to remove rubbish and miscellaneous
items which have been deposited on these sites. The
depositing of rubbish upon these sites is a constantly recurring
nuisance, and as a great deal of the material which is deposited is
of a putrifiable nature and becomes very offensive, particularly
during warm weather, removal by the staff of the Public Health
Department is often necessary in order to avoid danger to the health
of the public, whilst, in addition, the rubbish deposited often forms
breeding grounds for rats.