View report page

43
houses were found to be in a most insanitary condition, and the
drains in a great number of instances were defective. In nearly
all the bakehouses 1 complained that the bakers brush the scrapings
and sweepings under the troughs, and allow this waste, which becomes
sour, to accumulate before removal. I insisted upon the space under
the troughs being swept out, but I am sure this cannot be properly
carried out unless the troughs are made moveable. The defective
drains and gullies were all rectified, and in two instances drainage
reconstruction was carried out. Structural alterations were brought
about in one case so as to admit of more air and light. Defective
floors were also repaired, and in all the bakehouses the repairs intimated
were made good.
A circular letter was received from the Local Government Board,
dated 22nd May, 1894, stating that questions had been raised in
Parliament as to the sanitary condition of bakehouses in London,
and as to the steps taken by the Sanitary Authorities to enforce the
law on this subject, and that the Board deemed it desirable to draw
the special attention of Sanitary Authorities to their powers and
duties in this matter.
The question of bakehouse registration and regulations as to the
conduct of the business also engaged the attention of the London
County Council. The Public Health Committee drew up a code of
regulations and presented the same to the Council at their meeting
on June 26th, when it was argued that the Council ought to be the
licensing authority and make the bye-laws, as it would not be at all
satisfactory for the licensing of bakehouses in London to be in the
hands of forty or more different authorities—the actual inspection
of the premises to be carried out by the Local Authorities. Application,
I understand, was made on behalf of the Council to the President
of the Local Government Board, to move for an amendment of the
law on the subject.
At the invitation of the Vestry of St. George-the-Martyr, Southwark,