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During the past few years the council have entered into contracts with Paddington and other
councils to remove and disinfest the effects of families moving from condemned houses in those
areas to new housing estates. The Kensington council make a charge of £3 7s. 6d. for each load of
furniture dealt with. During 1938 thirteen Holborn families and eight families from Paddington
were moved.
The weight of the furniture removed for these boroughs was 20 tons 5 cwt. ; and 246 articles,
weighing 1 ton 1 cwt. 2 qr. 22 lb. were treated by steam at the council's disinfecting station.
Inspections and re-inspections of premises.
During the latter half of the year, 249 properties owned by the council in North Kensington
were inspected for vermin. Seventy, or a percentage of 28 per cent., of these were found to be
verminous.
In most cases the infestation was slight ; in these the tenants were provided with hand sprayers
and a quantity of insecticide, and asked to majce special efforts to rid the premises of bugs ; occupiers
displayed a willingness to co-operate in this way.
In the few premises where the infestation was extensive it was dealt with by the council's
disinfestation staff.
FACTORIES.
The Factories Act, 1937, which came into operation in July, 1938, repealed the Factory and
Workshop Act, 1901, and a number of other enactments relating to factories and workshops.
The main object of the new Act is the consolidation, with modifications, of provisions formerly
contained in the repealed enactments ; but it also introduces a number of new requirements, the
general effect of which is to bring the law relating to factories into line with modern standards and
conditions.
The distinction between factories and workshops is abolished and the elaborate definitions
contained in the 1901 Act are now condensed into one section which defines the term " factory."
Workshops are no longer defined, but broadly speaking they are covered by the expression " factories
in which no mechanical power is used."
The former arrangement whereby factory inspectors and district councils shared the
responsibility of enforcing sanitary conditions in factories and workshops is continued by the Act
but in a modified form. The borough council are required to enforce in their area the provisions of
the Act relating to cleanliness, overcrowding, temperature, ventilation,and drainage of floors in
those factories where no mechanical power is used, and the provisions regarding sanitary conveniences
in all factories, whether mechanical power is used or not. During the year under review,
151 defects relating to these matters were found, and sanitary notices requiring their remedy were
served.
The borough council are also entrusted with the control of bakehouses in their area, and an
important alteration concerns the use of basement bakehouses. These cannot now be used unless
they were in use as such on the 30th July, 1937, and a certificate of suitability had been granted
under the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901. A basement bakehouse not used as a bakehouse for
over twelve months cannot be so used again.
The council must make an examination of every basement bakehouse in the year beginning
1st July, 1938, and in every fifth succeeding year, and if they are not satisfied as to suitability tb^v
must give notice that the certificate will cease to have effect after the period, not less than one
month, specified in the notice.
A survey of all the basement bakehouses in Kensington for the purpose of this provision is now
in progress.