View report page

661
The difficulties in securing a reasonably prompt abatement of
the nuisances intimated to the owners or occupiers of houses, even
when these have been followed by Final Notices, have led to great
delays, for which we receive many complaints.
I cannot refrain from mentioning here the handicapping
circumstances of the extreme inadequacy of our office accommodation.
It is such as would be considered hardly sufficient for a
Rural District Council. Its available floor space is a little over
200 square feet, and the existing arrangements are anything but
conducive to good office work.
Recently the Borough has not been as well supplied with
Sanitary Inspecting staff as was once the case. In the days of the
Parish of Stoke Newington (population about 35,000) two wholetime
Sanitary Inspectors were engaged. When the Borough of
Stoke Newington (population about 51,000) was formed we had
the advantage of three whole-time Sanitary Inspectors for nine
years. In more recent years (population about 53,000), during
which the need for sanitary inspection work has greatly increased
and further duties have been imposed by legislation, only two wholetime
Sanitary Inspectors have been engaged, although another
official (Mr. Rogers) mainly occupied in clerical work, gives parttime
services. Furthermore, in the early days of the Borough the
-clerical work of the Department did not demand more than half
of the time which has now to be devoted to it; and the Medical
Officer of Health was not then so tied to his office as he is nowadays.
FOOD INSPECTION.
The slaughter-houses (4), bake-houses (27), and dairies (60),
situated in the Borough, were all inspected during the year
During the year many systematic efforts were made to detect
the sale of unsound food within the Borough, and I am glad to
say that, with few exceptions, our inspections have not called
for seizures. About two tons of unsound food was voluntarily
surrendered during the year. Premises where food is prepared and
stored have been kept under supervision.