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19061
208
Effluvium Nuisances.—No instances came under observation.
Want of Air Space, Overcrowding—Overcrowding was discovered
in 30 workrooms, as compared with 14 in the preceding year, and with 4 in
the year 1904. On notice being given, the number of employees was in each
instance reduced, and where it was necessary, cards showing the number of
persons who were permitted to be employed in the particular rooms were
distributed. These also stated their cubic capacity.
Want of Drainage of Floors.—In only two instances was it required
to call attention to this insanitary state, which almost entirely affects laundries,
tripe dressers, and gut scrapers, and in each a remedy was effected. This
number compares with three in the preceding year.
Want of Ventilation.—In 6 cases insufficient ventilation of workrooms
was discovered, which defects were put right with the addition of 4 which had
stood over from the end of the preceding year.
Sanitary Accommodation.—In 30 instances insufficient sanitary
accommodation was discovered. In 184 cases W.C's. were found to be
unsuitable, defective or foul, while in 6 cases no separate accommodation had
been provided for females.
At one time very few workshops in the Borough made provision
for the sexes. Now, however, it is a rare thing, except in some newly
occupied workshops, to discover this breach of the Factory and Workshops
Act. This is due to the fact that there is no provision of the Act that
has received more attention, and has been more diligently enforced, than that
of suitable accommodation for women and girls ; and it has been the aim of the
Public Health Department to see that it was in every way suitable, particularly
with respect to the approaches, which in the older workshops were very
frequently side by side with that of the men, a state of affairs which was
most undesirable and inadmissible.
Bakehouses.—There are on the register 260 bakehouses, to which 215
visits were paid. They were also inspected by Mr. Leggatt, who since the
passing of the Factory and Workshops Act, 1901, inspects them carefully every
year. He made his usual inspection during the months of May and June. His
visits have always had a very useful result, for they enable the Sanitary
Authority to place their views with respect to the use of their bakehouses
before the owners. Mr. Leggatt's report is as follows:—