SUT 16 Sutton (Surrey) Urban District Council. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Medical Officer of Health FOR THE YEAR 1919. SUTTON URBAN DISTRICT. Medical Officer's Report for the Year 1919. POPULATION. 1911 (census), gross, 21,270. Net, 19,535. Average number of persons per house—4.88. Estimates of the Registrar-General, and his explanation of these, for the year 1919:— The death-rate population—21,246—excludes all noncivilian males, whether serving at home or abroad. This is necessary for the purposes of local death rates, because it has proved impossible to transfer the deaths of non-civilians to their areas of residence or to deal in any other satisfactory manner with the local mortality of this element in the population. These estimates are based mainly upon the rationing returns, kindly placed at the Registrar-General's disposal by the Ministry of Food. The Birth Rate (and marriage rate) population— 22,132—on the other hand, is intended to include all the elements of the population contributing to the birth and marriage rates. It consists, therefore, of the death rate or civilian population, plus all non-civilians enlisted from this country, whether serving at home or abroad. This non-civilian element has been distributed over all the districts in the country, in proportion to their estimated civilian population. SITUATION. Sutton is situated 11 miles south of Whitehall in the watershed of the Thames in the north-east portion of the County of Surrey, the centre of the town being a little above the line where the chalk of the London Basin comes to the surface to form the North Downs. A narrow band of the London Tertiaries, running due east and west, appears between the chalk and the clay. Towards the north and north-west and on the clay is the lowest land—81 feet above sea level—and through it runs the Pyl Brook, receiving the chief part of the surface water of the whole district and the 2 outflow from the sewage works. The rest of the surface water drains into a small brook discharging on the north-east into the Wandle. Further north, where the London and Brighton Road crosses the border, the ground rises to 147 feet. This is the most rural part. Southwards, on the chalk, towards Banstead Downs, there is a gradual ascent to 293 feet. AREA. The length of the District is three miles, and has an average breadth of one mile and an area of 1,836 acres, or nearly three square miles. BOUNDARIES. It is bounded on the north by Morden, east by Carshalton, south by Banstead, and west by Cheam, and on all sides, except where the towns of Sutton and Carshalton join, has a rural aspect. RATEABLE VALUE. Poor Rate—£169,353. ASSESSABLE VALUE. General District Rate—£164, 646. One penny in the £ produces on the Poor Rate—£665. General District Rate—£651. For the half-year ending March, 1919—Poor Rate, is. 8d.; General District Rate, 2s. 4d. For the half-year ending September, 1919—Poor Rate, is. 10d.; General District Rate, 2s. 4d. Poor Rate 3s. 6d.; General District Rate, 4s. 8d. =8s. 2d. SOCIAL CONDITIONS. A large proportion of the residents is engaged in business in London. The remainder consists chiefly of tradesmen and their assistants, gardeners, domestic servants, and laundry workers. Of the inhabited houses, 60 per cent. exceed a rental of £25 per annum. 3 POOR LAW RELIEF. In Maintenance. Period. M. F. Childn Total. Proportion to Population. One in Cost. Cost per Head of the Population. £ £ s. d. Year ending 31 Mar. 1914 135 108 60 303 140 1456† Year ending 31 Mar. 1919 88 106 64 260 165 2277 Out Relief. Year ending 31 Mar. 1914 84 181 212 477 181 646* Year ending 31 Mar. 1919 41 112 84 237 180 527 In Maintenance and Out Relief.‡ Year ending 31 Mar. 1914 203 270 247 720 60 2103 1 11.7 Year ending 31 Mar. 1919 116 200 144 460 92 2805 2 7.6 † Including provisions, necessaries, clothing, funerals of all paupers maintained in the Workhouse (but not paupers chargeable to the Union maintained in other Workhouses), and not including drugs. * Not including children boarded out within or beyond the Union, nor persons in receipt of non-resident relief, nor persons in hospitals or training homes, etc. ‡ After making allowance for those who received both In-door and Out-door Relief. Total receipts of the Union, 1919—£112,273 13s. 6d. Contributed by Sutton District—£27,116 13s. 0d. GRATUITOUS MEDICAL RELIEF. During the year, 275 patients received treatment in the Cottage Hospital. There is no out-patient department. VITAL STATISTICS. Births (estimated by the Registrar-General)— Males. Females. Total. Legitimate 157 142 299 Illegitimate 13 12 25 170 154 324 4 The Births registered in the District were 309, and of this number 11 belonged to other districts. The Birth Rate was 14.7 per 1,000 persons living. This is 1 per 1,000 below the mean yearly rate of the preceding 5 years. Proportion of Male to Female Births— For the 5 years, 1910—1914, Male, 51 per cent.; Female, 49 per cent. For the 5 years, 1915—1919, Male, 53 per cent.; Female, 47 per cent. The Percentage of Illegitimate Births has a mean yearly rate— For the 5 years, 1910—1914, of 4.5. For the 5 years, 1915—1919, of 8.3. Deaths. Registered in the District 235 Not belonging to the District 69 166 Belonging to and dying outside the District 61 Total Deaths belonging to the District 227 The Death Rate (corrected for the sex and age constitution of the population by multiplying the crude rate, 10.7 by 0.9359) is 10.1 per 1,000 persons living. This is about the mean yearly rate of the past 10 years. AGES AT DEATH. Deaths. Under 1 year 13 One to 2 years 1 2 to 5 years 9 5 to 15 years 9 15 to 25 years 5 25 to 45 years 30 45 to 65 years 51 65 and upwards 109 227 5 The percentage of Deaths above 65 years has been rising during the past 20 years. In 1900 a quarter were above that age; in 1919 nearly one-half the deaths were above 65. CAUSES OF DEATH. Cancer, or Malignant Disease, with 33 deaths, has the highest number under any single heading. In the past 10 years out of 2,111 deaths, 233 (or 11 per cent.), has been due to this disease. All forms of Respiratory Diseases (excluding Pulmonary Tuberculosis), caused 35 deaths. Pneumonia, 14 (7 under 5 years of age; 7 over 25 years). Bronchitis, 19 (2 under one year of age; 3 from 25—44 years; and 14 of 65 years and above). Heart Diseases, 27 (3 from 25—44 years; 24 over 45 years). Pulmonary Tuberculosis, 12 (3 from 5—24 years; 9 above 25 years). Other forms of Tuberculosis, 4. Other forms of Respiratory Disease, 2. Influenza, 14 (2 under 5 years; 1 from 5—14; 1 from 15—24; 7 from 25—44; 2 from 45—64; 1 at 65 years). Measles, 2 (under 15 years of age). Diphtheria, 4 (under 15 years of age). Erysipelas, 2 Appendicitis, 2; Cirrhosis of Liver, 2; Nephritis, 2; Parturition, 1; Congelital Debility, 4; Violence, 6. All other defined Diseases (chiefly those of the arteries of the brain and in advanced age), 77. Birth-rate, Death-rate, and Analysis of Mortality during the Year 1019. (Provisional figures. Populations estimated to the middle of 1919 have been used for the purposes of this Table.) — birthrate per 1,000 Total Population. Annual Death-rate per 1,000 Civilian Population. Rate per 1,000 Births. Percentage of Total Deaths.* All Causes. Enteric Fever. Small-pox. Measles. Scarlet Fever. Whooping cough. Diphtheria. Violence. Diarrhœa and Enteritis (under 2 Years). Total Deaths under One Year. Death in Public Institutions. Certified Causes. Inquest Cases. Uncertified Causes of Death. England and Wales 18.5 13.8 0.01 0.00 0.10 0.03 0.07 0.13 0.47 9.59 89 23.9 92.5 6.2 1.3 96 Great Towns, including London (Census Populations exceeding 50,000). 19.0 13.8 0.01 0.00 0.13 0.04 0.07 0.14 0.45 12.24 93 29.2 92.3 6.9 0.8 148 Smaller Towns (Census Populations 20,000—50 000) 18.3 12.6 0.01 0.00 0.10 0.03 0.08 0.12 0.39 8.67 90 16.6 93.6 4.9 1.5 London 18.3 13.4 0.01 0.00 0.08 0.03 0.05 0.18 0.47 16.22 85 44.7 91.2 8.6 0.2 SUTTON 14.7 10.7 0.00 0.00 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.18 0.28 0.00 40 23.8 100 7.0 0.0 * Non-civilians are included in these figures for England and Wales but not for other areas. 7 INFANT MORTALITY. Causes of Death. Under 1 week. 1-2 weeks. 2-3 weeks. 3-4 weeks. Total under 4 weeks. 4 weeks & under 3 months. 3 months & under 6 months. 6 months & under 9 months. 9 months & under 12 months. Total Deaths under 1 year. Bronchitis 1 1 1 2 Pneumonia (all forms) 1 1 1 1 4 Suffocation, overlying 1 1 1 Injury at birth Atelectasis Congenital Malformations (c) 1 1 1 Premature birth 2 2 2 Atrophy, Debility and Marasmus 1 1 1 2 Other Causes 1 1 Totals 3 1 2 6 1 2 3 1 13 M. F. Total Nett Births registered during the calendar year legitimate 157 142 299 Nett Deaths registered during the calendar year of legitimate infants 12 illegitimate 13 12 25 legitimate infants 1 Totals 170 154 324 8 Causes of Death Mean Yearly rate 1905-1914. 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 Yearly Mean. Premature Birth and Congenital Defects 5.7 7 4 8 5 3 5.4 Atrophy, Debility, Marasmus 5.7 6 8 4 6 2 5.2 Convulsions 3.0 1 1 — 1 — 0.6 Diarrhœa 6.1 3 1 — — — 0.8 Whooping cough & Measles 2.7 1 — 2 2 — 1.0 Bronchitis & Pneumonia 4.0 4 4 4 8 6 5.2 All other causes 3.8 2 2 1 1 2 1.6 Total Deaths 31 24 20 19 23 13 20 Deaths per 1,000 Births 76 69 56 68 73 40 61 Ages at Death. Ten years mean annual rate. Weeks. Total under one month. Months. Total under one year Death rate per 1000 Births. 1 2 3 4 1-3 3-6 6-9 9-12 1905-1914 5.8 2.3 1.5 1.7 11.3 6.8 4.9 4.5 3.5 31 76 1915 7 2 1 1 11 4 4 2 3 24 69 1916 5 2 2 1 10 2 4 3 1 20 56 1917 7 3 1 — 11 2 1 2 3 19 68 1918 5 1 5 1 12 4 1 3 3 23 73 1919 3 1 — 2 6 1 2 3 1 13 40 9 In the reduction of the 1905—1914 mean Annual Rate of 76 to 1915—1919 one of 61, it will be observed that the proportion of deaths under one month to the total deaths has risen from a little more than one-third to a little less than one-half. WATER SUPPLY. The Sutton District Water Company's Works are situated about midway between the northern and southern borders of the district, on the east (Carshalton) side of the High Street. Deep wells are sunk in the chalk a little above the site where the London tertiaries outcrop. The Company is required by Act of Parliament (1903) to soften the water to not less than 9 degrees of hardness, and it has been found by frequent analyses made at the Health Office that this standard was rarely exceeded. The supply is constant. Chemical and bacteriological examinations of the water show it to be a good drinking water. RIVERS' AND STREAMS. A very small stream, called the Pyl Brook, receives nearly all the surface water of the district. Into it is discharged the outflow from the sewage works. This brook discharges unto the Beverley Brook, and that into the Thames. The Port of London Authority makes frequent examination at the sewage outflow, and no complaint has been received during the year. The remainder of the surface water drains into a much smaller channel, which joins the River Wandle. DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE. The district is sewered except in the outlying rural and sparsely populated parts on the clay, where cesspools are still in use and emptied from time to time by the Health Department. The Council have under consideration a scheme of extension, including the sewering of the London Road (Stonecot Hill). The proposed development of an estate on the west side of London Road (Rose Hill) 10 will necessitate a sewer from this site to the Low Level Sewage Works. With both these completed, most of the houses now using cesspools will be connected with the sewers. The sewage is treated partly by contact beds, and in greater part by percolating filters, with rotating sprinklers, four at the high-level and three at the lowlevel works. Another is about to be constructed at the low-level. There is a separate system for storm-water. All effluents are discharged into the Pyl Brook. CLOSET ACCOMMODATION. Except in rare instances, in the rural parts and beyond the limit of the sewers, water closets are used. There are five houses with cesspools in the chalk, and 29 in the clay. As to those within reach of the sewers, there is difficulty with levels. These cesspools are emptied, as occasion demands, by the Sanitary authority; 19 of the cesspools are beyond the limit of the sewers. SCAVENGING. This is done by the Surveyor's Department, and a daily collection is made. Covered carts, horse-drawn, are used. All houses have movable ashbins. The refuse is tipped on land adjoining the sewage works. As soon as the fly season is due, each load, as soon as tipped, is sprayed with "Miscible oil." This method, which has been in use for some years, has been successful in checking the development of flies on the tip. The Council have always before them the question of finding some better way of dealing with the household refuse, and are at the present time gathering the latest information procurable. Trade refuse is deposited in a separate place on a farm, and covered with chloride of lime and earth. Ultimately it is spread as manure on the adjoining land. 11 THE SANITARY INSPECTOR'S REPORT, For the Year ending December 31st, 1919. Number of complaints received in writing 154 Number of premises inspected under Sec. 92 of the Public Health Act, 1875 255 Number of Nuisances discovered 332 Number of Nuisances remedied without being reported 8 Number of Nuisances reported to the Sanitary Authority 324 Number of Nuisances remedied after report 316 Number of Preliminary Notices served by the Inspector for the abatement of Nuisances 181 Number of Notices for the abatement of Nuisances served by order of the Sanitary Authority 24 Particulars of Work done by Owners or Occupiers for the Abatement of Nuisances in Compliance with Notices. Number of privies, cesspools, ditches, pools, water-courses, urinals, ashpits, and drains cleansed, and number of deposits removed 46 Number of new privies or water closets provided — Number of premises at which the drains were reconstructed, ventilated, trapped, or disconnected from the house-pipes 6 Number of houses at which the water closets were provided with water under Sec. 36 of the Public Health Act, 1875 — Number of premises from which animals, improperly kept, were removed — Number of houses which were provided with efficient ventilation 32 Number of houses at which injurious overcrowding was abated — Legal proceedings taken under Sec. 96 for abatement of nuisances (number of times) — 12 Houses closed as unfit for human habitation — Number of houses at which disinfection was carried out, after Notice under Sec. 5 of the Infectious Diseases (Prevention) Act, 1890 76 Number of foul houses cleansed and whitewashed, after notice under Sec. 46 of the Public Health Act, 1875 32 Number of premises from which offensive accumulations have been removed after notice under Sec. 49 of the Public Health Act, 1875 2 Surrender of unwholesome meat and fish 15 Number of registered cowkeepers, dairymen, and purveyors of milk carrying on business at the commencement of the year 22 Number since registered 1 Number who gave up or transferred their business during the year 2 Number of registered premises inspected during the year 23 Total number of visits paid during the year 51 Number of cowsheds and dairies at which improvements in the lighting, ventilation, paving, drainage, means of cleaning, or water supply were made during the year — Number of cowsheds or dairies which were found in a dirty state 3 Number of premises at which the milk vessels were found in an unclean state — Number of new cowsheds erected — 13 FACTORIES, WORKSHOPS, WORK PLACES, AND HOME WORK. (1) Inspection of Factories, Workshops and Workplaces, including inspections made by the Sanitary Inspector:— Premises. No. of. Inspections. Written Notices. Prosecutions. (1) (2) (3) (4) Factories (including Factory laundries). 36 — — Workshops (including Workshop laundries). 134 10 — Work places (other than outworkers premises included in part 3 of this report). 72 — — Total. 242 10 — (2) Defects found in factories, workshops, and workplaces: Particulars. Number of defects. Number of Prosecutions. Found. Remedied. Referred to H.M. Inspector (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) Nuisances under Public Health Acts, including those specified under Sections 2, 3, 7 and 8 of the Factory and Workshop Act remediable under The Public Health Acts— Want of cleanliness 2 2 — — Want of ventilation 1 — — — Sanitary accomodation unsuitable or defective 7 7 — — Total. 10 9 — — 14 (3) Homework:— Nature of Work. Outworkers Lists, Section 107. Sending in twice a year. Sending in once a year. Notices served on Occupiers as to keeping or sending lists. Prosecutions. Lists. Outworkers. Lists. Outworkers. Contractors Workmen. tractors men. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9 & 10) Wearing Apparel (making). 15 30 6 6 118 Nil. Total. 15 30 6 6 118 Nil. (4) Registered workshops:— Workshops on register at end of year. Numbers. (1) 2 Bakehouses 13 Laundries 15 Dressmakers and Milliners 23 Tailors, Bootmakers, and others 68 Total. 121 FOOD. Milk Supply. The Executive Officer of the Local Food Committee has information that the average weekly supply of the district is 6,474 gallons. The quarterly reports of the Veterinary Surgeon to the Council give an average of 91 cows kept in the district, and 79 being milked. It thus appears that 15 about three-quarters of the milk sold in the district is imported. The Veterinary Surgeon also reports that he has found no case of Tuberculosis amongst the cows during the year. Cowsheds. There are five farms where cows are kept. Four of these have two cowsheds, the other only one. Three sheds may be described as fairly modern; two as rather dilapidated, yet decently kept; one is part of an old barn, and very well paved and kept; the other three have irregular floor surfaces, and require frequent supervision. All have water laid on (in one, the tap is 60 feet distant), keep means for washing the cows' udders and the milkers' hands, and provide clean towels and aprons. Milk (Mothers and Children) Order, 1918. The Local Authority has taken no action. A considerable distribution of dried milk, at cost, or less than cost, price, is made at the Infant Welfare Centre. Other Foods. A considerable quantity of unsound meat has been surrendered by butchers, who have informed the Health Department that such had been allotted to them at the wholesale markets. Fish also has been surrendered in like fashion, but neither of these two have been seized as unsound under the Public Health Acts. The internal organs of one cow were found, on slaughtering, to be tuberculous, and were destroyed. There is no public abattoir, and only three slaughterhouses. These are frequently inspected, and any recommendations for improving, cleanliness, or for the disposal of blood, etc., are followed. No action has had to be taken under Sec. 117 of the Public Health Act, 1875. BAKEHOUSES. There are 13 in use, none of them underground. They have been frequently inspected, and found satisfactory. 16 EXAMINATION OF SAMPLES OF FOOD AND DRUGS. The County Medical Officer has favoured me with details of analyses of food samples. Of milk, 21 formal and 4 informal were analysed. Three of each were found adulterated. One prosecution. Result, no conviction. Of cream, butter, cheese, margarine, sugan, jam, pepper, beer, but one sample was taken. Of tea, coffee, and mustard, two samples each. None of these 14 samples were adulterated. Of drugs, 9 samples. Of these, none adulterated. Nine samples were taken of other foods, and found not adulterated. INFECTIOUS DISEASES. Number of cases notified— Diptheria. Erysipelas. Scarlet Fever. Enteric Fever. Puerperal Fever. Total number of Deaths from these five, and also from measles and whooping cough. Yearly mean for 10 years 19071916 14.3 6.5 41.1 1.3 0.9 7.6 The year 1917 15 5 10 1 — 8 „ 1918 18 2 51 3* — 6 „ 1919 57 3 28 1 1 8 * Para-typhoid A and B. Fifty-two cases of Diphtheria, 25 of Scarlet Fever, and one of Enteric Fever were removed to Hospital in 1919. There were also notified 2 cases of Poliomyelitis, 3 of Ophthalmia Neonatorum, 15 of Measles, 9 of German Measles, 33 of Pneumonia, 2 of Dysentery, and 5 of Malaria (these last seven being infected outside the United Kingdom). 17 The number of deaths from Measles (Measles and German Measles), were, in— 1916 (91 notified cases) 0 1917 (688 „ „ ) 3 1918 (172 „ „ ) 0 1919 (24 „ „ ) 2 Since 1910 the free supply of Diphtheria anti-toxin has been in use, and the free examination of specimens by bacteriology is made for all diseases to which it is applicable. Encephalitis Lethargica.—One death, at 64 years of age, was attributed to this disease. It had not been notified. There was no "return case" of Scarlet Fever. The Elementary Schools promptly notify any cases of infectious disease, and the Health Visitor goes to the homes. The notification of Tuberculosis direct to myself is not complete. Many cases are first known on receiving notice that they have been almitted to a Sanatorium. This is partly due to the medical practitioners sending their cases to the Tuberculosis Dispensary of the County, for the opinion of the County Tuberculosis Officer. Possibly the practitioner and the Tuberculosis Officer each think the other will notify to the Local Medical Officer of Health. SMALL POX. No vaccination has been performed by the Medical Officer of Health, and no request for such has been made. No case has been known in the District for 18 years, and no death registered since 1882. MATERNITY AND CHILD WELFARE. Births registered in the District: Legitimate, 298; Illegitimate, 11; total, 309. Number notified of those registered: Legitimate, 282; Illegitimate, 8; total, 290. Percentage notified, 93.85. 18 Notified by doctors, 156; Notified by parents, 37; Notified by midwives, 97. Number of still-born notified, 13; by midwives, 6; by doctors, 7. Infant deaths: Legitimate, 12; illegitimate, 1; total, 13. Death Rate per 1,000 Births: Legitimate, 37; illegitimate, 90; total 40. Midwives practising in the District: Trained, 2; untrained, 1. Maternity and Child Welfare Centre. Average weekly attendance of expectant mothers, 30. Average weekly attendance of children, 95. Puerperal Fever.—One case, which recovered. Ophthalmia Neonatorum.—Three cases, all recovered completely. Measles.—Twenty-four cases (including German Measles), with one death between one and two years of age, and one death between 5 and 15 years of age. Whooping Cough was not prevalent, and caused no death. Diarrhœa has caused but one death under one year of age (in 1916), in the last four years. Poliomyelitis.—Two cases, at 10 and 36 years, and no death registered. There was one death that occurred, in a nursing home outside the District, from extra-uterine gestation. Visits made by the Health Visitor. First Visits. All Visits. To Expectant Mothers 77 285 To Infants under 1 year 291 2236 To Children under 5 years 1028 Average Weekly Attendance at the Centre. Expectant Mothers 30 Mothers 78 Children under 5 years 95 19 Accommodation in Homes and Hospitals for:— (1) Complicated cases of Maternity. When required is arranged for in two London Hospitals. (2) Ordinary cases. Has not been required, but arrangement has been made for two Hospitals. (3) Children up to 5 years. Arrangement made for in three Hospitals. (4) Convalescent Maternity and Children. At a Seaside Home. (5) Children of widowed, deserted, and unmarried mothers. No arrangement yet made. The Health Visitor made all necessary visits for the Health Department for Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Measles, Whooping Cough, Ophthalmia, skin diseases in school children, and verminous conditions. The Centre will shortly be provided with better accommodation in the "Public Hall Buildings," which have recently been purchased by the District Council. SANITARY ADMINISTRATION. Staff. One Inspector, who has an assistant, for cleansing, disinfection, emptying of cesspools, etc. A junior office clerk. A report of the Inspector's work is shown under "Sanitary Inspection of the District." HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION. There is a Joint Hospital at Cuddington, serving the Sutton, Carshalton, and Leatherhead Urban, and the Epsom Rural, Districts. Cases of Scarlet Fever, Diphtheria, Enteric Fever, Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis, and Influenzal Pneumonia are received. The management is under a Board, having representatives from the four Councils. 20 ADOPTED ACTS. Baths and Washhouses Acts, 1846-99. Infectious Diseases (Prevention) Act, 1890. Public Health Acts (Amendment) Act, 1890. Private Street Works Act, 1892. Public Libraries Act, 1892. Public Health Acts (Amendment) Act, 1907 (Parts of). BACTERIOLOGICAL WORK. Diphtheria: Positive, 6; Negative, 13. Enteric Fever: Positive, 1; Negative, 0. Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Positive, 0; Negative, 7. The Report of the County Analyst appears under "Food." POPULATION. Estimate of Registrar-General:— For Birth Rate, 22,132; for Death Rate, 21,246. At 1911 Census.—Gross Population 22,155; net population, 21,110. HOUSING. Number of Houses Mid-Year, 1919:— Rental Value, 10s. per week and upwards 2,625 Below 10s. per week 1,824 Total 4,449 No new houses for the working classes were erected. For the purpose of filling in the "Form of Survey of Housing Needs," last October, 947 cottages were visited in 14 streets, which streets had been selected as most likely to show overcrowding. The result of this inspection was:— Average number of bedrooms per house—2.5. Total number of inhabitants—4,557. Average number per house—4.8. Number between 14 and 20 years of age—516. Average per house—0.54. Number of children attending school—10,071. 21 Average per house—1.1. Number of children under school age—468. Average per house—0.5. Houses with more than one family—102. Houses with more than two persons per room above 14 years of age, 0; above 5 years of age, 8; at all ages, 28. Based on these figures, an estimate was made for all cottages that there were 142 with more than one family per house, and 48 with more than two persons per room. Overcrowding.—Several houses were in this state, whilst a large number appeared to have but 3 or 4 residents. The Housing Committee of the Council agreed that plans for the erection of 100 cottages should be prepared and sites selected. From observation since October, 1919, it would appear that the number of cottages with more than one family is increasing. FITNESS OF HOUSES. The general standard is good. The defects found were chiefly due to entrance of damp through fault of roof, or gutters and rain-pipes. These nuisances were abated on a preliminary notice. Only 24 Statutory Notices had to be served. There is difficulty in remedying the unfitness of 21 old cottages, and Closing Orders will be made as soon as provision for housing the present occupiers is completed. There are also 43 seriously defective houses, upon which considerable repairs must be carried out to make them reasonably habitable. Water supply and closet accommodation is satisfactory, except in those houses which were built for one family, and are now occupied by two or more families. There has been a great lack of attention to the interiors of the smaller dwellings in the past few years. Whitewashing and distempering has been left undone, partly on account of labour shortage, and partly—In the later years—on account of the great rise in cost of such work in comparison with the fixity of rental value. 22 The number of dwelling houses in respect of which complaints were made by householders that they were unfit for habitation was 14. The necessary repairs were carried out by the owners. Seventy-six houses were inspected under Sec. 17 of the Housing Act of 1909; 21 houses were considered unfit for habitation (as to parts of them). As there was no other possible accommodation, no closing orders were issued. WEATHER. Rainfall at Sewage Disposal Works, 26.41 in. This is 8.70m. below the previous year, and 8.50 below the mean of the five previous years. A measurable quantity fell on 148 days. January.—Wet, cold, sunless. February.—Cold, with snow. March.—At first warm; last half cold; snow and rain frequent. April.—Cold and wet. May.—One of the driest on record; warm and sunny. June.—Dry and sunny. July.—Dry, but very cold for July, and a low amount of sunshine. August.—Cold, except for ten days—8th to 17th. First half dry; second very rainy. September.—First 12 days very hot; warm and sunny to the close. October.—One of the coldest on record, and one of the driest. November.—Wet, cold, sunless, and yet a small total rainfall. December.—Wet, warm, and sunless. (Abbreviated from the Report of Francis Campbell-Bayard, Esq., F.R. Met. Soc., Wallington.) WILLIAM HABGOOD. Sutton: William Pile, Ltd. Printers, etc., 26, High Street.