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34
The washing machines are the same in both establishments
hut although the actual washing period is the same the
operating cycle has been reduced by the automatic control at
Palmerston Road from 41 minutes to 35 minutes. The machines
will take up to 21 lbs. dry weight of clothes and in the ordinary
way these are boiled during washing but the temperature can be
reduced for woollen clothes, etc.
It is thought that these washhouses provide a better
service than the commerical "self-help" laundries using semidomestic
type washing machines which normally will only take
9 lbs. dry weight of clothes and in which the clothes are not
boiled.
Gymnasia
There is a permanent gymnasium at the Central Baths
occupying what was previously a swimming pool but which became
defective in 1937- There is the normal gymnastic equipment
sufficient for school needs but it does not have specialised
equipment.
A second gymnasium is provided during the winter
months over the Goldhurst Pool-which is, of course, closed
for swimming during this season.
The gymnasia are used by some 13 badminton clubs and
one gymnastic club during the evenings.
INSPECTION AMD SUPERVISION OF FOOD
The year has marked the development of several new
tendencies in food businesses such as the widening in the scope
of the vending machine for both liquid and solid foods, the
multiplication of self service stores; and a rapid extension in
the retailing of poultry of the "ready for the oven" variety or
"ready roasted".
Whilst vending machines are limited in their application
to the sale of milk and similar commodities which can be kept
under refrigeration, no serious problems are likely to arise, but
immediately solid foods are so dispensed a much stricter control
of their fitness and quality will have to be exercised by frequent
sampling for both chemical and bacteriological examination.
The increase in the number of self service stores
has meant that there is a much greater quantity of pre-packed
foods, some of which is of a very perishable nature and liable