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SECTION 1
FOOD
INSPECTION AND SUPERVISION OF
FOOD PREMISES
During the year, 852 visits were paid to food premises. In the latter
half of the year particular attention was given to the inspection of cafes,
restaurants and snack bars and 157 letters were written to owners or
occupiers pointing out that alterations, redecorations, redesigning and
improvements were required at their premises. Verbal requests were
also made in 50 instances.
In the case of three snack bar cafes, two of which are situated in the
Turnpike Lane area and the other at Highgate, special reports were submitted
to the Council who decided that by reason of the inadequate
plumbing and drainage facilities and unsatisfactory structures these
premises would require complete reconstruction before they could be
considered suitable for further use as food premises. In the absence of
concrete proposals by the owners of the cafes it would have to be decided
that the premises as such must be closed. By the end of the year a definite
scheme for rebuilding, including provision of proper drainage and
plumbing facilities had been received for consideration in one of the
cases; in the second case negotiations were proceeding between the
occupier of the cafe and the owner of the land on which the cafe stands;
in the third case no solution has yet been found and the ultimate closing
of the premises may be necessary.
Many of the larger firms are now carrying out post war repairs and
alterations to their premises, in some cases without prior request by this
department. Some of the improvements are in advance of legislative
requirements. As far as owner/occupier premises are concerned the
standard, on the whole, is reasonable and there is a general desire to
co-operate with the Health Department.
There are, however, certain establishments where response to requests,
written or verbal, is not accepted and these can only be dealt with
adequately by legal action.
MILK SUPPLY
During the latter part of 1949 the Food and Drugs (Milk and Dairies)
Act 1944 became law and on the same date the Milk (Special Designations)
Act 1949, Milk and Dairies Regulations 1949, Milk (Special
Designation) (Raw Milk) Regulations 1949, and Milk (Special Designations)
(Pasteurised and Sterilised Milk) Regulations, 1949 came into
operation.
These Acts and Regulations implement, to a large degree, the Government's
policy as defined in the White Paper "Measures to Enforce the
Quality of the Nation's Milk Supply" published in July 1943.
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