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194
It should be added that Finsbury stands in a somewhat
exceptional position in respect of this problem and this position
has had to be taken into consideration in an equitable enforcement of the Act in regard to underground Bakehouses. In
districts where there is available space for the construction of
above-ground Bakehouses on the curtilage of bakery premises,
or comparatively low density of buildings per acre in the vicinity,
the granting of a certificate to an underground Bakehouse should
be withheld unless all requirements are absolutely provided. It iequitable that under such circumstances great strictness should
prevail. But in districts like Finsbury the Act must be administered with some consideration of the complexity of the problem.
On page 158 of the present report will be found a table recording
the number of buildings (dwelling-houses and business premises)
per acre. From this table it will be seen that though the average
for all Loudon is eight buildings per acre the average in Finsbury
is 19. It is evident that this is an important factor in a careful
and just consideration of the closure of underground Bakehouses.
This fact, coupled with the great improvement executed by the
owners of underground Bakehouses, received the consideration of
the Committee in deciding upon their policy.
It remains to be added that it is the intention of the Public
Health Committee to insist in maintaining a high standard of
general cleanliness and sanitation in Bakehouses in future.
A draft order of the Secretary of State, modifying the proportion of cubic feet of space to be provided in certain bakehouses, was made in 1903, and is to the following effect : —
In pursuance of the power conferred on me by sub-section (2) of
section 3 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, I hereby direct that
the proportion of cubic feet of space to each person employed
prescribed in sub-section (1) of the said section shall be modified :
(1) as regards Underground Bakehouses by substituting "five
hundred cubic feet of space to every person" for " two
hundred and fifty cubic feet of space to every person " and