Blind Persons Act, 1920.

Under the Blind Persons Act, 1920, every blind person who has attained the age of fifty is entitled to receive such pension as, under the Old Age Pensions Acts, he would be entitled to receive if he had attained the age of seventy, provided that he is so blind as to be unable to perform any work for which eye-sight is essential. A claimant who has been refused the pension because the evidence furnished on the question of blindness is insufficient can appeal to the Department. In Wales, during 1921, 49 such appeals were referred to the Regional Medical Officers for examination and report.

Remuneration of Practitioners.

The amount of the Central Practitioners' Fund available for insurance practitioners in Wales was £427,828, and this amount has been distributed amongst Insurance Committees in the proportions recommended by the Distribution Committee.

Mileage.

For the year 1921 the amount available for payment to insurance practitioners in Wales in respect of mileage, that is, in respect of the extra time and cost involved in travelling long distances to insured patients in rural and semi-rural areas, was £39,321.

The schemes of the Insurance and Panel Committees for the distribution of the local mileage funds are submitted for the approval of the Department before payment in accordance with the provisions of the schemes is made.

APPENDICES.

APPENDIX I.

STATEMENT of the Results of Analysis of certain Articles under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts during the Year 1921, and comparison of percentage adulterated with that in the Year 1920.

APPENDIX II.

PARTICULARS OF GRANTS made to Voluntary Hospitals by the Voluntary Hospitals Commission to the 31st March, 1922.

CANAL BOATS ACTS, 1877 AND 1884.

REPORT BY MR. OWEN J. LLEWELLYN, Inspector under the Canal Boats Acts, for the year 1921.

SIR,

To the RT. HON. SIR ALFRED MOND, Bart., M.P.,

Minister of Health.

I have the honour to present to you the Annual Report required by section 4 of the Canal Boats Act, 1884.

The number of Registration Authorities remains at 121.

The ever-increasing competition of other forms of inland transport has naturally interfered with canal boat traffic. Certain large canal

carrying companies, e.g., the Shropshire Union and the Leeds and Liverpool, have practically ceased to act as "carriers"; their waterways are open, but most of their boats are either sold or tied up and awaiting new owners.

I am informed that this state of affairs is due to a large extent to the general adoption of shorter working hours. While the boat owners and boat people are willing to extend their hours of working—that is, of travelling with and on the boats-the fact that the canal offices at "stops" and in other places are closed prevents the movement of the boats, which are forced to remain where they are until next morning. Many voyages now take more than twice as long as in former times; as the boatmen are almost invariably paid by the trip, naturally both their work and their wages suffer, while the trade becomes unremunerative to the owner. Short distance traffic does not suffer to the same extent, but the recent industrial disputes have caused many boats to be laid up that are never likely to be used again.

The conclusions of the recent Departmental Committee on living-in on canal boats have also caused boat-owners to look carefully at any proposals for further use of the canals, although at present no legislation has been set on foot to comply with the recommendations. At the same time I am under the impression that more boat people now realise the value of education for their children, and, were it not for the difficulties and expense of securing houses on shore, would take them off the boats when possible. In the present condition of affairs, however, there is a greater tendency now than there has been for some time past to utilize narrow canal boats as the only home. At Chester, for instance, I am informed that although many boats are not being worked they are affording homes for their inhabitants, and are looked upon in most respects exactly as if they were houses, while the children regularly attend school.

The Merchant Shipping Act, 1921, appears to have awakened owners of certain boats not registered as ships to the fact that they incur, or run the risk of, liabilities of their own. The result is that many vessels previously registered under the Canal Boats Acts are being registered under the Merchant Shipping Acts, and it would seem that this movement is likely to grow. In response to my representation of this tendency to the Ministry, the question of taking action under section 10 of the Act of 1884 is now under consideration.

The question of regulations as to the use of internal combustion engines on canal boats seems to be settling itself without the necessity for our interference. I have heard of no accidents from the new method of propulsion, and, as a rule, boats so fitted are manned entirely by males. This, however, is not always the case; many women are quite capable of helping to run these boats if required.

Fifty-two motor canal boats are now registered under the Acts.

The evidence before the late Departmental Committee previously mentioned has disposed of many very exaggerated notions as to the numbers of women and children on the boats, and as to the conditions existing on the boats themselves.

For the first time since my appointment (1899) there have been no prosecutions reported under the Canal Boats Acts and Regulations.

Infectious disease was singularly rare during the year, only six cases of diphtheria and one of scarlet fever having been reported.

The work of inspection in the larger towns and in districts where canal boats are most common continues to be well carried out, and calls for no comment.

Less important authorities seem, probably under pressure of other duties, to be somewhat less attentive, but as all boats are invariably seen and inspected elsewhere, I do not consider that I need to do more than comment upon the fact.

On the whole I am glad to be able to report that both the state of the boats, their inhabitants, and the quantity and quality of the inspections of them leave little to be desired.

STATEMENT showing the Town Planning Schemes proposed or in operation at the 31st March, 1922, and the area included in the Schemes.