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69
dealer living at Wayford Street, as to want of cleanliness of
premises and utensils. In this case the defendant was convicted
and fined £1 10s. and £2 6s. costs (two offences).
That this prosecution has resulted in a salutary effect is
shown by the fact that only eight defects were reported during
the year, as compared with 54 in 1908, and that only seven
intimation and four statutory notices were served to remedy these
defects, as compared with 86 and 10 respectively during 1908.
The defects enumerated had reference mainly to dirty condition
of premises, defective sanitary fittings, etc.
Restaurants and Eating Houses.
The annual inspection of these premises was systematically
commenced in 1902, and since then a general sanitary supervision
has been exercised over them by Inspector Benjamin. The
total number on the register at the end of 1909 was 95, as compared
with 90 in 1908.
During the year it was found necessary to serve 26 preliminary
and nine statutory notices in connection with sanitary
defects. In the majority of instances these defects were not of
a serious nature, and had reference to dirty condition of premises
(walls, floors and ceilings), defective sanitary appliances, etc.
On the whole there is evidence that the regular and frequent
inspection of these premises has resulted in an improvement in
the sanitary conditions under which food is prepared and sold
in eating houses in Battersea as compared with past years.
Milk Shops.
The milk supply of Battersea has, as in past years, been
carefully supervised during 1909, and the additional powers which
have been given to the Council by the London County Council
(General Powers) Act, 1908, have proved of considerable service
in dealing with premises which were in many respects sanitarily
unsuitable for carrying on the sale of this important article of
food. The necessity of effectually controlling the conditions under
which milk is produced and sold is, having regard to its importance
as the maim diet of infants and invalids and its susceptibility
to be injuriously affected by exposure to insanitary conditions,
a matter of vital importance.
The number of registered milk shops in Battersea at the end
of 1908 was 241. During 1909, 50 new milk shops were added
and 113 removed from the register. The total number on the
register at the end of 1909 being 178.