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should not adopt a low standard of sanitation, as the Act
expressly states that the Sanitary Authority shall not give a
certificate unless it is satisfied that the bakehouse "is suitable
as regards construction, light, ventilation, and in all other
respects." Whether the intention of the Legislature will be
generally carried into effect is another question; but as the
certificate is granted for an unlimited period, and is equivalent
to a declaration by the Sanitary Authority that the bakehouse
is in a condition of perfect sanitation, it is much to be hoped
that a reasonably high standard of sanitation will be generally
adopted. Otherwise the effect of the Act will be to perpetuate
conditions which it was the intention of the Legislature to
abolish.
There are 49 underground bakehouses in Battersea, and
in no case can the certificate of suitability be granted unless
more or less extensive alterations are carried out.
In the early part of last year a circular letter was
addressed by the Health Committee to the occupiers of underground
bakehouses, asking them to inform the Committee
whether it was their wish to continue to use their bakehouses
after January Ist, 1904, and if so, to make an application to
that effect, and to submit plans and sections of the bakehouses.
Applications and plans have since been received from the
occupiers of nearly all the underground bakehouses in the
Borough, and have been duly considered by the Health
Committee. It was decided at first not to issue a general list
of requirements to apply to all bakehouses, but to consider
each individual case on its merits, but upon considering the
plans, it was found that the list of requirements given below
would apply to a large number of the underground bakehouses
in the Borough, and this list has been issued to the occupiers
of those bakehouses. There were three underground bakehouses
which the Committee decided could not be made suitable,
and the occupiers were informed that the certificate could not
be granted. One of these was the bakehouse which figured
in the case of Schweitzerhof v Wilkins.