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The vital statistics show that during the past year the
health of the district was, on the whole, very satisfactory.
One especially gratifying feature is the low infant mortality
rate, which stands at 76 per 1,000 births. This is very
much lower than it has ever before reached.
The general death-rate is also satisfactory.
PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GENERAL
CHARACTER OF DISTRICT.
The shape of the district is very irregular, having a
sort of " shoulder of mutton "formation. The surface is
flat for the most part, but rises gradually towards the
North and West, from which elevation, in times of storm,
a great deal of surface water finds, its way to the lowlying
parts. The soil is clay. The district is bounded
on the North, East and West by portions of the Hendon
Rural District, and on the South-East and South by the
districts of Kingsbury, Wembley and Harrow. The
London and North-Western Railway runs through the
district from South-East to North-West, about two-thirds
being to the North of the line, and one-third to the South,
the two parts being connected by a bridge over the line,
which, on account of its narrow and tortuous roadway and
steep gradients, is wholly unsuited and inadequate for the
purpose. The area of the district is about. 1,072 acres.
The number of persons to each house at the last Government
census was 5¾. The population is very largely
composed of the industrial classes. A very large number
travel to and from the City and other parts of London to
their employment. There are 7 factories in the district,
some of considerable size and employing several hundreds
of workers, both male and female. None come under the
definition "dangerous and unhealthy industries." A fairly
large proportion of those not employed in the. factories
belong to the unskilled labour class, such as labourers,
carters, etc. The house accommodation for all classes is
ample. There is an excellent, well provided recreation
ground of about 24 acres. The water supply is from the
Colne Valley Water Company. At the close of the vear
there were 1,740 occupied houses, and 320 occupied flats,
in the district, as compared with 1.633 and 318 at the
close of the previous year. There: were 24 houses in course
of erection. Average yearly increase for last eight years
about 700.