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discovered when it was sampled. Representations to the Ministry
resulted in the establishment of a Heat Treatment Centre at
Palmers Cold Stores.
The following year, 1957, saw the introduction of the very
controversial Rent Act which presented the Health Department
with difficulties both of administration and interpretation, and
a consolidation of previous housing legislation was effected by
the Housing Act of the same year.
Anxiety regarding the importation of contaminated egg
albumen was again expressed by the Public Health Committee
and the Ministry was made aware of the Council's concern in
the limitations of its power to detain or condemn, viz., for 48
hours, which was insufficient time for its Health Department to
receive results of bacteriological examinations.
Work on behalf of the elderly had expanded and necessitated
the engagement of a further Woman Public Health
Officer in January, 1959. Exchequer assistance was made
available to certain large building societies to enable more loans
to be made for house purchase or improvement and grants for
standard amenities could be claimed as a right under the House
Purchase and Housing Acts, 1958/59.
Noise abatement and the control of caravan sites were the
subjects of legislation during 1960 and, with increasing deaths
from inefficient oil burning appliances, regulations and standards
covering such articles made their appearance during this year.
A date of 1st October, 1960, was agreed with the Minister for
the Council's first Smoke Control Order. Under the supervision
of, and in accordance with, the advice of the Food Inspectors,
a frozen whole egg plant was constructed at Payne's Wharf and
became operative during this year. It was expected to break
360,000 eggs per day when it was fully employed.
During the year 1960 and for some time after, a great deal
of extra effort was demanded of food inspectors as a result of
the importation of meat more than usually bacteriologically
contaminated or diseased. In the main, the causes of complaint
were Swedish pig carcases and Bechuanaland boneless beef but,
following protestations from this Council, meetings with other
riparian authorities and the Ministry were convened and the
matters were eventually resolved satisfactorily with the various
countries concerned.