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15
Outworkers.
Fifty-eight employers submitted lists in respect of a total of 597 outworkers (217 contractors and
380 workpeople). Of these, twenty-three contractors and twenty-seven workpeople operated in the
Borough. The nature of the different classes of work and the numbers of outworkers engaged is
indicated in Table 16, page 38.
Fireguards.
The Heating Appliances (Fireguards) Act, 1952, was repealed by the Consumer Protection Act,
1961, which came into operation during August. The Heating Appliances (Fireguards) Regulations,
1953, however, were re-enacted without amendment. In previous reports mention has been made
of the fact that auctioneers can still legally sell heating appliances which do not comply with the
Regulations provided that they act on behalf of private individuals and not as agents for someone
whose normal business is the selling of heating appliances. This loophole in the Act leads to administrative
difficulties and in some degree defeats the aim of legislation designed to safeguard the users of
these appliances from accidents. It is regretted that auctioneers still enjoy this same exemption
under the Consumer Protection Act, 1961.
Regular inspection was made of appliances exposed for sale but only two heaters were found which
failed to comply with the statutory requirements. The fault was inadequate guards and the vendors
withdrew the appliances from sale. No legal proceedings were necessary.
Hairdressers and Barbers.
The Council's Byelaws regulating these establishments came into operation on 18th December,
1955. There are in the Borough 150 registered hairdressers and barbers ; regular inspections were
made and conditions generally were found to be satisfactory.
Pet Shops.
The Pet Animals Act, 1951, provides for a system of inspection and annual licensing of pet shops
by local authorities, a fee of 10s. being payable for each licence, ten of which were issued during
the year. A few of the licensees keep puppies and other mammals for sale but mostly they deal in
cage birds, goldfish and tropical fish. The premises concerned were kept under observation by the
public health inspectors who made 28 visits and inspected weekly the stalls licensed to sell pets in
the street markets. Conditions under which the livestock was kept were reported as satisfactory.
Poisons.
At the end of the year the names of sixty-four traders were on the Council's list of persons entitled
to sell poisons included in Part II of the Poisons List (Pharmacy and Poisons Acts, 1933-1941), the
number of premises concerned being seventy-five. Details are given in Table 17, page 39.
Protective Helmets.
The Motor Cycles (Protective Helmets) Regulations, 1957, make it an offence for any person
to sell or hire or offer to sell or hire any helmet as a helmet affording protection to motor cyclists, in
the event of an accident, which is neither of a type prescribed nor of a type authorised under
Regulations made by the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation as being a helmet recommended
as affording such protection. These Regulations prescribe the type of helmet which may be sold or
hired to motor cyclists.
Five premises in the Borough where these helmets are sold were kept under observation but no
sub-standard helmets were found.
Public Conveniences.
At the request of the Public Health Committee a review was made of the Council's public conveniences
with special regard to the adequacy or otherwise of existing accommodation. At present
there are ten conveniences and three urinals for men and seven conveniences for women. In some of
the more busy parts of the Borough the existing facilities appear to be inadequate; particularly does
this apply to Edgware Road and Oxford Street. However, there are proposals to reconstruct the
convenience provided by Paddington Borough Council at the junction of Harrow Road and Edgware
Road, and re-siting of the Oxford Circus convenience when the underground station is reconstructed
is also under consideration. These improvements should do much to provide more adequate accommodation
in their respective vicinities and, similarly, a proposal to reconstruct the Marylebone Road