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The number of outworkers included in the August list was 735 compared with
1,106 in the corresponding list last year.
PET ANIMALS ACT, 1951
There are 66 licensed pet shops in the borough including stalls in
markets see also page 28 (Diseases of Animals).
PHARMACY AND POISONS ACT, 1933
The sale of certain poisons (chiefly those used for sanitary, domestic
and horticultural purposes) by persons other than pharmacists is subject to
provisions of this Act and of the Rules made thereunder. A person selling
such poisons must have his name entered on a list kept by the Council, and
must make application annually for re-entry and pay a prescribed fee. Compliance
must be made with the requirements relating to storage, transport, labelling and
containers There are 66 names on the list, 3 being removed from and 2 added to
the list during the year.
POULTRY PROCESSING AND PACKING
The number of poultry processing premises has been reduced from 19 to 14
due to the London Board for Shechita opening a new poultry slaughterhouse in
the Borough. 192 visits were made to these premises.
The total number of birds processed is not accurately known due to the
absence of a statutory requirement on traders to furnish this information. It
is estimated that about 2,000,000 birds are slaughtered for the Kosher trade
and about 1,000,000 for Muslims and for other requirements. In the former case
the birds are mainly first grade young hens and cockerels and in the latter
poor quality hens and kosher rejects. In both instances there is a small
seasonal percentage of turkeys, ducks and geese.
The European Economic Community's requirements for the siaughter of poultry
are welcomed but there is some doubt whether the retail trade in live birds at
a slaughterhouse for immediate slaughter and take-away by the purchaser will
come within the scope of the regulations. There is already an exemption for
"producer to consumer" trade but it is thought that the "retailer of livebirds
to the consumer" trade is unique to this district, and since it accounts for
about 1,000,000 poor quality birds per year over which there appears to be no
control, it can only be hoped that the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Food will have regard to it when Regulations are made.The "producer to consumer"
exemption is an "escape clause" made with the best intention but is open to
abuse.
RAG FLOCK AND OTHER FILLING MATERIALS ACT, 1951
This Act, designed to secure the use of clean filling material sin articles
which are upho1stered, stuffedor 1ined, requires the licensing or registration,
as the case may be, of premises where rag flock is manufactured or stored or
filling materials used. Regulations made under the Act prescribe standards
of cleanliness for filling materials.
12 samples of filling materials were obtained from registered premises
during the year and submitted to the prescribed Analyst for examination.
All of these samples proved satisfactory.
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