View report page

36
HEATING APPLIANCES (FIREGUARDS) ACT, 1954.
This Act became fully effective during the year. Observations
have been kept on premises from which gas, electric and oil fires
are sold, but no contraventions were found.
SHOPS ACT, 1950.
There are now 803 shops in the area. They are situated as
follow:—
Lamorbey and Blackfen 259
Sidcup and Footscray 266
North Cray and St. Paul's Cray 93
Chislehurst and Mottingham 185
Visits and observations under the Act have totalled 238.
Visits and observations under the Act have totalled 238. Nine
informal notices have been served and a number of other infringements
have been dealt with without the service of notices.
Offences.
Found.
Remedied.
Notices and records
19
13
Sanitary accommodation
8
7
Closing hours
2
1
Washing facilities
3
3
Light
—
•—
Sunday trading
4
—
Other matters
6
3
Number of inspections and observations
238
Number of informal notices served
9
No Closing Orders have been made. Thursday is the Early
Closing Day generally observed in the District, but in Chislehurst,
part of St. Paul's Cray, and at the Oval, Blackfen shops close early
on Wednesdays.
VERMINOUS CONDITIONS AND UNCLEANLINESS.
Sixteen complaints were received in connection with premises
alleged to be verminous or unclean. Forty-two visits of inspection
were made but the number of houses found to be infested with bed
bug (Cimex Lectularius) amounted to eight only. One of these
was a house owned by the Council. The extent to which the
problem of infestation by bed bugs has been solved, by the use of
modern insecticides, is indicated by the fact that ninety-one
premises were found to be infested in 1937.
In appropriate cases disinfestation was carried out by the staff
of the Department.
It is usually possible to persuade tenants to deal with dirty
premises although considerable supervision is needed to ensure a
permanent remedy.