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for immediate action by the officers of the Local Authority so
that no time is lost in carrying out the complete disinfection
of the room.
Inquiries were made into 271 cases of notifiable infectious
diseases, and 731 rooms were disinfected either by Sulphur
Cylinders and Candles, Formalin Lamps and the spraying of
walls, floors and ceilings.
In 194 rooms the paper was stripped from the walls, the
ceilings white-washed, and the floors and the woodwork
cleansed, and in only 29 instances was it necessary to follow
up the letter by a Statutory Notice to obtain compliance with
the provisions of the above Act.
Each day letters are sent to the Head Teachers of the
Schools if attended by patients notified, and all other children
from the same house, prohibiting their re-attendance until
completion of disinfection and the expiration of the period of
incubation required by the Medical Officer of Health.
A letter is also sent to the Free Library so that books if
not given up for disinfection at the time inquiries are made
may be obtained to be disinfected or destroyed. The School
Medical Officer is also informed of all cases of scholars attending
the Public Elementary Schools, who are notified as suffering
from infectious diseases.
Paving of Yards.— Every opportunity was taken, as in
past years, to obtain, where possible, the covering with
impervious material of the spaces round the back walls of
dwellings, especially in the poorer streets of the district.
During the year this was carried out at 118 houses.
Section 25 of the Public Health (Amendment) Act, 1907
(Adoptive Act) gives additional powers to the Local Authority
in this respect. The consent of the Local Government Board
to its adoption had not been received at the end of the year.
Shop Hours Acts, 1892-1895. —These Acts until the granting
of the Charter of Incorporation were administered by the
County Council as the Local Authority.
The object of these Acts is to prevent the employment of
young persons for such an excessive number of hours as may
prejudice the health of the employees.
The Watch Committee in June, 1906, directed me " to
ascertain and report to the next meeting of this Committee
how far Section 4 of the Shop Hours Act, 1892— which provides
that in every shop in which a young person is employed
a notice shall be exhibited by the employer in a conspicuous
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