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8
Although during the past three years the dust contract has been £800 per
annum less than the preceding contract, the number of complaints from householders
has very much diminished, especially during the past year. The Council
has also effected a further saving of more than £200 per annum in salaries, as the
duties of the dust Inspectors are now carried out by the Sanitary Inspectors.
The removal of manure was again carried out satisfactorily, and for the first
time no complaint was received during the year.
Details respecting the inspections of factories, workshops, workplaces and
outworkers premises are given on pages 38-40 and in Table IX, (1), (2), (3), (4) and
(5). Also details of the new Order of the Home Secretary issued on the 23rd
May 1907, which extends the sections relating to lists of outworkers; employment
in unwholesome premises; and the prohibition of homework in places where
there is infectious disease.
A conference was held at the Home Office to consider the question of the
further regulation of the industrial employment of women before and after childbirth,
and the details of the form which the inquiry should take were agreed upon.
Sanction was given by the Council to my co-operation in the Inquiry.
During the year 20,890 inspections were made, 1,116 intimation notices were
served, 672 notices for the cleansing of lodging houses, 280 notices for breach of
by-laws or regulations, and 195 Statutory notices. The market streets are
inspected daily, including Saturday nights and Sunday mornings.
Applications were received for the removal and destruction as trade refuse of
a large amount of unsound food, and during the year there were two seizures of
meat, one unsound and one diseased, for which substantial penalties were inflicted.
The mean temperature of the year was about half a degree lower than the
average; the rainfall nearly 2 inches below the average, and the total amount of
bright sunshine was 85 hours below the average.
For further details see the various headings of the Report.