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always presents some difficulty, as one cannot always say with
certainty, while still unopened, what will be the state of the contents.
If we condemn tins without opening we may do a trader a serious
injustice, and, moreover, weaken our testimony should police-court
proceedings be taken. On the other hand, those which have been
opened are spoiled for trade, so that in such cases it would be very
easy to run up a pretty little bill for the Council to defray. For
these reasons tinned food is more likely to escape seizure than other
descriptions of food, unless the appearances are in some way
characteristic. Further, hardship usually falls on the retailer, for,
as the result of our proceedings shows, it is exceedingly difficult to
fix the blame on the wholesale dealer. One might have a very strong
impression that the goods were unsound at the time of delivery at
the shop, but this is quite a different thing from swearing on oath
that such was one's opinion.
There were 131 applications for certificates of exemption from
Inhabited House Duty under the Customs and Inland Revenue Acts,
which necessitated inspection being made of all the tenements concerned.
Certificates either with or without the carrying out of extra
work were granted in respect of 109 of these.
From the returns it will be seen that there is no diminution of
the work carried out at the Disinfecting Station, and I am glad to
be able to say that we have passed through the year without a single
claim for damage, whether avoidable or unavoidable, having been
received. The Council will, I am sure, agree with me that this
reflects great credit on those who are employed in the carrying out
of this duty. The Disinfecting Depôt has also been used for the
cleansing of persons who, being verminous, apply for treatment;
but this part of the work has now been largely increased by the
advent of a number of school children.
The County Council, as the Education Authority, employs a
certain number of nurses who go round to the various schools to
inspect the heads of children, and it has been the practice to send
those found to be verminous to the Peckham Park Road Depot for
the purpose of being properly cleansed. The question of supervision
during this process has, however, arisen in the cases where children
of tender years go there without anyone in charge of them, and to
secure the property of the Borough Council from damage even when
they are properly accompanied. Application has been made to the
County Council for recognition of the services rendered in this regard
by the wife of the Disinfector, but so far without result. Considering
that this cleansing of the children's heads is a duty which
clearly belongs to the County Council, it is difficult to understand
their action in failing to come to some agreement with this authority
as regards payment.
Complaints were made at intervals of the smell arising from a
factory used for the drying of grains near the Old Kent Road. The
matter culminated in a representation being made to the Council
under Section 21 of the Public Health Act, and the case was heard
at the Lambeth Police Court. The defendant appeared and answered.
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