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27
District.
house inspection done in two at all events of the subdistricts,
owing to there not being sufficient inspectors.
The work in other directions has enormously increased,
notably in testing drains of new houses, disinfection, and
enquiries as to infectious diseases, inspection of workshops,
&c., and a larger number of inspectors in proportion
to the population becomes a necessity.
Factory and
Workshops Act,
1895.
This Act came into operation on the 1st
January, 1896. It has added very considerably
to the responsibilities of Sanitary
Authorities, but it has undoubtedly already done much
good.
The Sanitary supervision of workshops, which includes
laundries, that is places where work is carried on and
where steam or other mechanical power is not used, is now
under the supervision of the Sanitary Authority and the
supervision of the hours of work, &c., of the employes,
women, young persons and children, is under the Factory
Inspectors. Information of sanitary defects is given us by
the Factory Inspector when any is found, and reciprocally
the duty is cast on us of notifying the employment of
women, young persons and children in workshops.
The special points that have to be looked after in workshops
are overcrowding, of which a definition is given in
this Act, cleanliness, ventilation, freedom from effluvia and
maintaining a reasonable temperature, and the provision of
sufficient sanitary conveniences having regard to the separation
of the sexes. Particulars as to the proceedings in
respect to workshops will be found in the local summaries.