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Thirty-one samples of water ices and ice lollies were taken,
of which fourteen were reported to be unsatisfactory. The proportion
of samples described as unsatisfactory should not be
regarded with alarm as the standard adopted by the bacteriologist,
in the absence of a legal or generally accepted standard, is a high
one; for classification as satisfactory a sample must yield a plate
count of less than 100 and be free from coliforms. Whilst this
standard could easily be obtained with the old fashioned water
ice it is far more difficult in the case of the modern ice lolly with
an ice cream base.
(c) The Inspection of Meat and Other Foods.
There is no Ministry of Food slaughterhouse in the district,
but the inspection of meat and other food in butchers' shops,
grocers and provision dealers, cafes and canteens, forms one of
the Sanitary Inspectors' most important duties. During the year
176 lbs. of meat, 33 lbs. of canned corned beef or mutton, and
898 lbs. of other canned meat were condemned.
During the year sixteen pigs were slaughtered under licence.
All were examined and the head of one was found to be tuberculous;
some part or organ of two others was condemned for other diseases.

(d) Meat Transport.
The conditions under which meat is transported from the
wholesale depots to butchers' shops has been kept under constant
observation and no examples of gross mishandling have been noted.
It is regretted however, that no progress has been made towards
a real solution of the problem by the replacement of the ill-equipped
and unsuitable vehicles at present in use with vehicles in which
meat can be hung during conveyance.
(e) Food Handling Byelaws.
The byelaws made under Section 15 of the Food and Drugs
Act 1938 have again been of valuable assistance in our efforts to
improve the hygienic standard of food handling. Food traders
have on the whole been very co-operative and all contraventions
of the byelaws have been remedied without recourse to legal
proceedings.
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