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6
FINANCE.
Appendix L. Under three heads, viz.:—Sanitary labour
account, combined drainage account, and sanitary disbursements
account, will be found an account of the moneys dealt with
respecting wages and petty disbursements in this department.
SPECIAL REPORTS.
Several short reports dealing with special matters were
presented during the year, and I attach three of what appear to
be the most important. These deal with the following subjects.
1. The warranty defence in Milk cases, under the sale of
Food and Drugs Acts 1875 to 1899.
2. A memo re the new Disinfecting Station.
3. A return of Workshops, Trade Premises,
workers, &c.
STAFF.
Changes in staff and duties. It will perhaps be advisable to
refer shortly to the recent changes in the start and variation of
duties.
Certain of these changes became necessary, consequent upon
some of the Clerk's having obtained appointments under other
Councils. Apart from this it had, however, become apparent to
me that as compared with Inspectors the clerical staff was
undermanned, and incapable of satisfactorily coping with the ever
increasing work of the department.
If I were to avoid increasing unduly the number of newappointments
I could not see any other course open than to
recommend a re-arrangement of the Inspectors duties and
districts, and to put Mr. Bilham in charge of the indoor and
clerical work.
This re-arrangement has been effected, and is most satisfactory,
and I can see no reason to doubt that it will result in permanently