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CONCLUSION.
There were no outstanding events during the year
calling for special comment. The many duties which
fall to our lot were, I think, well covered.
The prospect of new legislation at an early date
in connection with housing and food and drugs is
stimulating, and we await with considerable interest
the efforts of our legislators.
I should like to mention the problem of old
people which frequently gives us cause for concern.
From time "to time we find aged people at the stage
where they are unable to manage properly for themselves,
and not being looked after by others. Too often they
eventually get into a state of squalor from which they
are quite unable to extricate themselves. The usual
methods of the Sanitary Inspector for dealing- with dirty
homes cannot for obvious reasons be applied in these
cases and we find ourselves going rather beyond the
normal scope of our duties in order to help these unfortunates.
I have been privleged to serve for several years on
the local Old People's Welfare Committee and admire very
much the voluntary work carried out by members of that
organisation.
The important thing is to keep these lonely elderly
folk so interested in life that they do not slip into
the hermit state, and in this sphere the workers of the
Welfare Committee achieve so much. Once that unhappy
state has been reached it is difficult to know how to
deal with such people.
As matters stand at the moment there does not seem
to be a simple remedy for this problem. Rather does
it behove everyone concerned, be they paid officers or
voluntary social workers, to continue to do what they
can for such cases as come to their notice, even if the
desired results can only be achieved by methods which
are not strictly 'official'.
Finally, in connection with Civil Defence the Council
has seen fit to appoint me as Head of the local Welfare
Section, and the organisation and training of that Section
is tending to become merged with the routine work of the
Department.
I am, Mr Mayor, Ladies and
Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
R. J. ELDRIDQE,
Senior Sanitary Inspector.
I wish to thank the members of my staff in the Public
Health Department for their co-operation, particularly the
Senior Sanitary Inspector.
1CVILLE H. LINZBS,
Medical Officer of Health.
39.