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67
WORKSHOP SUPERVISION.
Canals, Wharves.—These are systematically inspected at least once a week. One
complaint was received with reference to smells from the canal, but on inspection no nuisance
was discovered. A complaint relating to fumes from a dust destructor at one of the wharves
was also investigated, but no action was deemed necessary.
The customary cleansing of the canal basin was carried out at Easter, when about 368 tons
of mud and refuse were removed, being 20 tons less than the amount removed in 1913. New
concrete was laid down over some 1,334 square yards of the canal bottom.
Canal Boats.—The annual report of the Examining Officer was presented to the Council
in February last and subsequently forwarded to the Local Government Board. The inspections
of boats numbered 206, and the infringements of the Acts discovered, 38. Twenty-five notices
were served. At the close of 1913, 168 boats were on the Register, of which only about 55
were known to be working in and out of the basin. During the past year one boat was
registered on account of structural alterations, having been converted from a tug into a houseboat,
to be permanently moored, and to be occupied by a watchman ; 7 boats were re-registered
owing to change of ownership, and one re-registered owing to a change in the name of the boat.
The total number of boats on the Register at the end of the year was 176, of which only 63 can
be traced.
One case of erysipelas (male, aged 40 years) was notified during the year from a canal boat.
There were no deaths among the boat population. Of the 148 children found to be living on
boats, 78 were of school ages.
WORKSHOP SUPERVISION.
Registration.—At the close of 1913 there were 1,421 workshop premises on the Registers of
the Department. Last year 138 premises were removed from and 163 added to the Registers,
the effective entries at the close of the year numbering 1,446. The premises on the Registers
included 137 factories, 30 of them being laundries, 933 workshops, 19 domestic workshops,
32 workplaces, and 295 premises in the occupation of "single workers," 259 of whom are on the
Registers of Outworkers.
An analysis of the occupations carried on at the premises (of all descriptions), with the
latest known numbers of persons working therein, will be found in Table 43, the numbers of
outworkers being shown by the figures in parentheses.
Notices relating to 73 new workshops were received from the Home Office during the year,
65 of which were already on the Registers of the Department.
Hotne Work.—Employers of outworkers (home workers) forwarded 59 lists in February of
last year and 58 in August, or a total of 117 lists, as compared with 118 in 1913, 117 in 1912,
and 125 in 1911.
The addresses included in those lists numbered 575, of which 361 were forwarded to other
districts.
From other districts 379 addresses (in 55 lists) of home workers residing in the Borough
were received, the number in 1913 having been 372 in 61 lists.