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142
QUALIFICATIONS OF MEAT AND FOOD INSPECTORS.
In April last, I directed the attention of the Sanitary Committee to the
conditions prevailing with regard to the appointment of these Officers.
Under the Public Health Acts, a Food Inspector must possess a Sanitary
Inspector's Certificate, however well qualified he may be for the position in
other respects.
In cases where an Officer's whole time is taken up with Food Inspection,
most of the subjects in which he has to quality in order to gain such certificate
are practically of no use to him in the performance of his duties, and he has,
therefore, been put to much useless waste of time and expense when he would
have been better occupied in acquiring a wider knowledge of matters relating
to foodstuffs.
At the present day, there is a general trend of public opinion in the direction
of securing a more complete supervision of food supplies, and, as a consequence,
there is an increasing demand for the services of men possessing special
qualifications for the office of Food Inspector.
Meat inspection, for instance, can only be satisfactorily performed by men
who possess a practical knowledge of the butchers' trade, and the Corporation
have made it a rule since the year 1861, in making such appointments, to act
on this principle.
It is clearly an anomaly that, before men with special experience, and therefore
peculiarly well qualified for the office, can be appointed, they should be
compelled to pass an examination embracing nearly every conceivable subject
connected with Sanitary science, which is subsequently almost valueless to
them in the execution of their duties.
In the interests of both the public and the trader, it is essential that Food
Inspectors should have undergone a thorough practical training in foodstuffs,
and possess such special qualifications as the Local Government Board may
approve.