View report page

234
SANITARY INSPECTION.
There are on the Staff of the Department a Chief Sanitary
Inspector, a special Meat Inspector, six District Sanitary Inspectors,
a Factory and Workshop Inspector, a Lady Inspector, and three
Clerks, who devote the whole of their time to the work of the
Department. For purposes of sanitary inspection and supervision
the Borough is divided into six districts, to which are attached six
Inspectors, one to each district. In his sanitary district each
Inspector undertakes duties under the Public Health and the Sale
of Food and Drugs Acts. There are five men regularly engaged in
the work of Disinfection and the Mortuaries, etc.
The ordinary duties of the Sanitary Inspectors include the inspection
of dwelling-houses, milk-shops, bakehouses, etc.; the investigation
of cases of infectious disease; the supervision of sanitary
works and drainage; the enquiries respecting complaints made to
the Department, and smoke and general nuisances. Reports are
furnished to me by the inspectors from time to time having reference
to the above matters, the more important matters being specially
reported in writing.
The construction of the drainage of new buildings is supervised
by the Borough Surveyor (Mr. P. G. Killick). The Department also
has the advantage of the advice and co-operation of the Borough
Surveyor in all matters affecting drainage.
Refuse collection and destruction, cleansing of streets, and
regular emptying of dustbins.and dust-boxes is undertaken by the
Wharf and Cleansing Department (Mr. A. May, Superintendent).
The refuse of model-dwellings is removed bi-weekly, and from
ordinary houses weekly. Rapid and effectual removal of refuse and
dust and the satisfactory cleansing of streets, particularly in the
months of July and August, is of great importance. The relationship
between bad scavenging and disease is an intimate one, and there can
be no doubt that a well scavenged town, other things being equal, will
be characterised by a lower infantile death rate and a lower zymotic
death rate than that occurring in a dusty and badly scavenged town.
During 1904 the Department has been fortunate in receiving the voluntary
services of Dr. Sandilands and Miss M. Jones, who have carried out a large amount
of special work mentioned in the foregoing Report.