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the provision of modern ablution facilities; towels and soap are wanting.
Our impression was that these premises must be kept under weekly
supervision.
A—Confectionery Works.
This firm is engaged in the manufacture of boiled sweets and
chocolates. The premises consist of a one-storey building which is
well lighted and ventilated. These premises were not made originally
for the purpose of confectionery making, but have been adapted for
the purpose. The process consists of boiling refined cane sugar and
glucose in gas heated copper pans. Various other ingredients are
added according to the particular sweet which is being made (various
fruit flavours, butter, peanuts, cocoanut, raisins, tartaric acid—for acid
drops). The whole mass is run out upon tables and is moulded or
pressed into different shapes, or rolled out into long stalks and cut off
to the required length. The chocolate used at these works is imported
ready made from Holland, and is melted and used for encasing various
sweetmeats. All the ingredients used are imported ready for the
process of manufacture, with the exception of the peanuts, which are
roasted in a rotary roaster, with the object in view of removipg the
outer skin and cooking the nut.
Cleanliness. The workrooms have been colour-washed throughout
and the floors are covered with fresh sawdust daily. If this were not
done the floors would become sticky and dirty, owing to the process.
The firm employs 50 females and 6 males, and the sanitary accommodation
for each sex consists of two w.c.'s. These are of modern pedestal
type in separate enclosures. Recently Inspector Yates caused the
women's w.c.'s to be screened and ventilated satisfactorily.
No accommodation, beyond a cloakroom, is provided for meals, but
practically all the employees go home near by at meal times. Two
points of interest—here is a food process in which the sweet is handled
in process of manufacture, and yet I could hardly see a single washhand
basin. Again, in the peanut roasting room, the room was dirty
and the hands of the women seemed none too clean. I expressed my
views pointedly to the Manager. This room has now been thoroughly
cleaned and Inspector Yates has supervised the putting up of an
ablution bench with basins, towels and soap.
The Manager is now supervising the general cleanliness of the staff,
especially their hands: