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Shops.
There are 315 shops, including a number
in which no assistants are employed. The Shops
Act 1950, which is administered by the Council,
deals with such matters as hours of closing, the
early closing day, Sunday trading, the employment
of young persons, and the comfort and welfare of
shop assistants.
One hundred and fifty-nine visits were made
to shops in connection with these various matters.
A number of minor infringements wore found and
remedied, but it was not necessary to take any
legal proceedings under the Act.
PESTS AMD VERMIN.
Of the 587 premises examined during the year,
either in connection with rat complaints received or
during the routine inspection of the district for
unreported or unsuspected infestations, 217 were
found to be infested to some extent. All these
infestations were dealt with. So far as
tions at private dwelling-houses were concerned,
there was no charge to the occupiers except in respect
of any structural or other works which were found
to be needed to make good damage caused by rats or
to reduce the possibility of subsequent re-infestations.
Charges, based on the labour and material
used, were made in respect of the treatments carried
out at business premises.
Treatments of the district sewers were
undertaken, as is usual, twice during the year. The
number of manholes found to be used by rats on these
two occasions was 24 and 16 respectively, considerably
fewer than last year.
Nineteen premises were cleared of mice.
Requests for advice and assistance to deal
with pests such as ants, moths, furniture beetles etc.,
were numerous and in addition no less than 267 wasp
nests were destroyed.
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