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20
BAKEHOUSES.
The subject of the sanitary condition of the London Bakehouses
has come prominently before the public during the past
year; it was mentioned in Parliament and the matter was
referred to the Local Government Board who issued a circular to
the various Sanitary Authorities, calling their attention to their
obligations under the Public Health Act, 1891, with reference to
the frequent inspection of these places in their particular districts,
and desiring that they should cause the Acts relating to Bakehouses
to be enforced. The attention of the County Council was
called to the subject and their Medical Officer was instructed to
prepare a report on the same, this was done, and the Council
after considering it, was of an opinion that the present law
should be amended so as to make it compulsory for all Bakehouses
to be licensed annually by the Council. Their can be no doubt
that there needs more uniformity in the construction of these
necessary buildings and also that in future underground Bakehouses
should be prohibited. It is quite evident from what has
appeared in the press on this subject that the Local Authorities
do not sufficiently exercise the powers bestowed on them by
the Legislature ; that the Local Authorities who are at present
charged with the enforcement of the Acts relating to Bakehouses
are the proper Bodies to deal with them I think there
is much to be said in favour of, and if sufficient Inspectors were
provided in each district there would be no difficulty. The
Public Health Act, 1891, made he Local Authorities responsible
for the enforcement of Sanitary conditions of Bakehouses, since
that time we have made periodical inspections into all Bakehouses
in our district, and this year one could not help being struck with
the marked improvement that had taken place; of necessity
numerous notices have had to be served, which have been
followed by frequent inspection by the Sanitary Inspectors and
myself, who I may here say have given valuable assistance to the
occupiers as to alterations, etc., in improving both the ventilation
and sanitary conditions generally. In the table following will
give some idea of the manner in which the work is carried out,
of course it does not nearly represent the whole of the inspections
made to these premises but sufficient for the purpose intended;
recognising how important it is that bread, the main article
of food for rich and poor alike, should be made under the most
perfect sanitary conditions we have directed our energies to
carry out that principle.