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(6) Before the prohibition of preservatives or of colouring matters
in food a period of grace should be allowed to allow manufacturers
and importers to adjust their methods and processes
and to allow stocks to be cleared.
(7) Improved methods in the storage and transport of food by rail,
road and water, especially as regards the use of refrigeration
and cool air storage are urgently required.
(8) It shoidd be provided by law that any regulations or statutes
prohibiting or limiting the use of preservatives and colouring
matters should bind the Courts in proceedings taken in respect
of their use.
(9) An amendment of the law is required to render more expeditious
the prosecution of a person actually responsible for offences
under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts, where a warranty
defence is pleaded.
(10) Further powers of control by registration, licensing or
tion should be given to Local Authorities in relation to all
places concerned in the production, sale, storage and distribution
of food. The Committee considers this especially
important as regards sausage making, and that permission to
use sulphur dioxide cannot safely be accorded unless greater
power be given to Local Authorities to inspect the places
where such articles are prepared, together with the methods
of preparation and the materials used.
The Minister of Health has promised to issue at an early date draft
regulations designed to give effect to the majority of these recommendations
which could be carried out without legislation.
F.-STAFF OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
I reported during the year that an additional Sanitary Inspector was
required and the Council agreed to this being done. In my report I
stated:—
" The City is divided into eight districts, to each of which a Sanitary
Inspector is appointed to attend to complaints of nuisances, supervise
new drainage work, and, as time permits, to systematically inspect the
houses in his district . In addition, the Woman Inspector, whose principal
work is the inspection of workshops where women are employed and outworkers'
premises, also visits houses let in lodgings which are registered.
The Health Visitors also report insanitary and unsuitable conditions which
they discover in the course of their visiting.
" The work of the Inspectors varies considerably in different districts.
For example, those in districts including Regent Street and the Strand