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105
ITINERANT ICE CREAM VENDORS.
In last year's report it was stated that an increase had taken place in the
number of itinerant ice cream vendors perambulating the streets of the City. This
year, fortunately, the number has decreased to 26, all of whom are aliens, and bear
a street trader's badge issued since the City of London Street Traders Act (Traffic),
1909, came into operation on 1st October, 1912.
The utensils used by these 26 hawkers were inspected and kept under regular
observation. The commodity sold was, without exception, manufactured at places
outside the City boundary, and as a result of the letters which were addressed to the
Medical Officers of Health of these outside districts, it was found that the addresses
displayed on the barrows were correct and that the article sold was produced under
proper conditions.
As already stated these men are, with rare exceptions, aliens, who leave much to
be desired as regards their personal cleanliness, and it is to be regretted that the
already overcrowded City thoroughfares are still further congested by the presence of
this class of unnecessary street traders.
As a rule the utensils are found to be kept in a clean condition. The method
of serving the ice cream has of late improved; it is now, for the most part, placed on
wafer biscuits made specially for the purpose, instead of being put in a glass, from
which it was transferred direct to the mouth by the consumer and the glass afterwards
"cleansed" by being dipped into dirty water and dried by still dirtier cloths.
By Section 43 of the London County Council (General Powers) A.ct, 1902—
"Every itinerant vendor of any such commodity (Ice Cream) as aforesaid
"shall if not himself the manufacturer thereof exhibit in a legible manner on
li a conspicuous part of his barrow a notice stating the name and address of
"the person from whom he obtains such commodity and if such vendor is
"himself the manufacturer of such commodity he shall in the same manner
"exhibit his own name and address. Every such itinerant vendor who shall
"fail to comply with the provisions of this Section shall be liable to a
"penalty not exceeding forty shillings."
The above Order has been better observed during this year than heretofore, and it
was not necessary to institute a prosecution against any itinerant vendor for failing to
exhibit the required name and address. Last year there were four instances of such
proceedings having been taken,
DAIRIES, COWSHEDS AND MILKSHOPS ORDERS.
At the end of the year there were 639 Purveyors of Milk and Dairyman registered
in the City of London, as compared with 640 in 1913.
The sale of milk was discontinued at 31 premises, and the owners' names removed
from the Register; 54 new registrations have been reported, of which 30 were
instances of new businesses being established, and 24 were consequent on there being a
change of ownership.