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unsound, and to take steps to prevent so far as possible such
things happening in future. Further, your Committee must take
such steps as may be necessary to prevent contamination of food
by food handlers. In addition it will be necessary to educate
people so employed in order that they may make their contribution
in this direction.
The Council has done very little for the prevention of atmospheric
pollution; it will be necessary to investigate to a much
greater degree the causes of this, and to make every effort to
prevent it.
Housing Departments have in more recent years taken steps
to instal appliances for the consumption of Smokeless Fuel. In
the past, however, this was far from being the case; the popular
demands for the open fire and bituminous coal was catered for
instead of the smokeless fuels.
More recently the Council has been responsible for Rodent
Control. This has already done good work but, in my opinion, an
intensification of the work in this direction is imperative. Situated
as we are in the vicinity of the River Lea, the liability to become
infested and continue to become infested by rats is very great.
Hence the necessity for increased effort.
The Council for some years has been the Authority under
the Shops Acts. Although we have been constantly harping on
this subject we have not made any real advance in regulating Street
Trading. The storage of food before it is distributed to the public
is of vital importance where street traders are concerned.
It will be necessary to pay more attention to the existing Byelaws
in granting licences to Street Traders. The solution of the
problem, however, is the establishment of a market or a number
of small markets in the Borough to meet the needs of the citizens.
Housing.—The Public Health Department has a most
important and, I might add, a most difficult responsibility with
regard to housing. There are a number of houses which, in the
opinion of the Department, are unfit for human habitation. It will
be necessary to speed up your efforts in order to clear such undesirable
property from your midst. Some of these are past the
standard which should be expected in a residence for healthy
occupation, while others are in such an insanitary condition which,
while they do not come within the scope of unfit houses, are of
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