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every year increased use is made of smokeless fuel, gas and
electricity, and Government Departments and many other
authorities have set an example in the campaign of smoke abatement
in this way.
Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act, 1919.
Efforts to secure the abatement of nuisances caused by the
presence of rats were continued, as in previous years, during
1929. The number of complaints received of the presence of rats
was 176, as compared with 135 in 1928. Every complaint was
duly investigated and, where the nuisance was found to exist as
the result of the defective condition of the house drains, notices
were served on the owners of the property. In other cases advice
was offered as to the steps to be taken to get rid of them, and in
many instances this advice was supplemented by the issue of
poison baits.
The Borough Engineer and Surveyor also followed the practice
of systematically laying baits in the sewers. During official
Rat Week a special publicity campaign was conducted, and the
thanks of the Council are due to the various cinema proprietors in
the Borough, who readily co-operated with this Department by
displaying a lantern slide drawing the attention of the public to
the menace of the rat.
Removal of Aged or Incapacitated Persons.
Section 28 of the London County Council (General Powers)
Act, 1928, enables a Local Authority to make application to a
petty sessional court for an order to secure the compulsory removal
to hospital, institution or similar place of an aged, infirm, or
physically incapacitated person living under insanitary conditions,
or is suffering from any grave chronic disease, should a Medical
Officer of Health certify accordingly.
During the year the attention of this Department was drawn
to a woman 81 years of age residing in the northern part of the
Borough who was living in one room1 under insanitary conditions,
without friends or relations to assist her.
The matter was duly reported to the Council, who were of
opinion that the case was one which came within the provisions
of Section 28, and the Medical Officer of Health was authorised,
in the event of no relative being found to look after her within
14 days from the date of the Council's resolution, to take all
necessary steps to comply with the provisions of the Act. The
threat of proceedings appeared to have a salutary effect, as the
person concerned suddenly disappeared and could not be traced.
Two further cases of aged persons living under similar conditions
were also reported, but in these instances the relatives