View report page

43
occupying premises in the Borough. The names and addresses of
a large number of non-residents, also contained in these lists, were
forwarded to the Medical Officers of the districts concerned.
Similar particulars of 417 addresses were forwarded to me in
return by these gentlemen, extracted from the lists received by
them. The homes of these 8.50 outworkers were visited, and such
sanitary defects as were found were dealt with under the provisions
of the Public Health (London) Act of 1891.
BAKEHOUSES.
In 1903 there were 100 bakehouses in occupation in the
Borough. In 38 of these the manufacture of bread was carried
on in underground baking rooms. The Factory and Workshops
Act of 1901 forbids the use of underground bakehouses after the
1st day of January, 1904, unless the District Council is Satisfied
that the premises are suitable as regards construction, light,
ventilation, and in all other respects.
Particulars of all these underground bakehouses, together with
a schedule of the Council's general requirements, will be found in
my last published annual report. Some of the alterations
necessary in order to bring the premises into compliance with
these requirements were commenced during 1903, but, as a matter
of fact, no certificate was granted, as in no instance was the
alteration completed during the year. Considerable difficulty
was experienced in getting the work done, many of the bakers are
in poor circumstances and utterly unable to provide the necessary
funds. The Factory Act requires that the cost of the
"structural" alterations shall be borne in part by the owner, but
the very limited interpretation placed upon the word "structural"
in the building Acts prevents this requirement from being very
helpful in a Court of Law. As a matter of fact, had not the
owners voluntarily assisted their tenants many of the bakehouses
must have been closed. At the date of the publication of this
report 25 bakehouses have been certified as satisfactory, six have
been closed as incapable of reconstruction, and three have ceased