View report page

not denied it seems that some resistance may be expected, principally from greengrocers
selling fruit, who are inclined to dispute the necessity to screen stalls
and provide hand washing facilities. The Council had already taken the initiative by
imposing a condition on new street trading licences that only prepacked food will be
sold but there are over four hundred stalls in thirty three designated market streets
with existing licences, not including private markets outside the scope of this
condition, to which the regulations will have to be fully applied.
There are still far too many food premises in the borough where standards of food
hygiene are by no means satisfactory and despite the efforts of public health inspectors
to achieve improvements by persuasion, it has been found necessary to prosecute
no fewer than forty three food traders on this account. It seems extraordinary in
this day and age, when advice is available and a guide to simple hygienic practite
is set out in regulations, that it should be necessary to invoke the time consuming
process of the law so frequently. The habit of smoking in food premises is also too
prevalent and, in addition to numerous warnings, thirteen persons were prosecuted
for this offence.
Concern has been expressed regarding horseflesh and kangaroo meat imported into
this country for use by the animal food trade. The provisions of the Public Health
(Imported Food) Regulations requiring official veterinary certificates do hot apply
to meat from the horse or kangaroo. Port health authorities are required by the
terms of the Meat (Staining and Sterilising) Regulations to release meat when they
are satisfied that it will be sterilised by the recipient. Care is taken in checking
the destination of this meat but there is a fear that some of it, if in the hands of
an unscrupulous trader, may find its way into products used for human food. Both
the Meat (Staining and Sterilising) Regulations and the Public Health (Imported Food)
Regulations are under review and port health authorities have made recommendations
with a view to closing any loopholes that now exist.
For the first time in many years the district has been almost free from invasions
by trespassing caravans. Quite clearly the reduction of available land by adequate
fencing of cleared sites is the reason. Both the Council and the Greater London
Council have now adopted the practice of protecting land with corrugated iron sheeting
or other close fencing as soon as possible after buildings have been demolished.
The same freedom has not been experienced with another intruder - the chronic
alcoholic - who by his degraded manner of living excites the most conflicting passions
in the minds of all who have an interest in the social welfare of their fellow men
whatever the field of activity, be it voluntary or official.
For the purpose of this report the problem created by methylated spirit drinkers
haunting a particular locality has been expounded upon by the Medical Officer of
Health since it has its medical, psychological and spiritual facets but it seems
71.