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5.
In addition notices were prepared for the guidance of the public,
Events, however, proved that at no time were the shelters used to
their full capacity, most people prefering to remain in their own houses
or to use private shelters of the Anderson or other type.
I am glad to say that up to the end of the year none of the dangers
anticipated had, in fact supervened.
SANITARY SERVICES.
Tn my Report of last year I recorded how these services had been
adversely affected by the outbreak of war, and the employment of
Sanitary Inspectors on Civil Defence duties.
with the exception of two of these Inspectors - the one seconded
for Civil Defence duties, and the other employed still in this work - the
others have been released, and a temporary Inspector has been provided
in place of the one seconded. Inspection and supervision have been
resumed.
The following were the main developments during the year:-
SLAUGHTERHOUSES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938 the
Council gave consideration to application for the licensing of three
slaughterhouses which before the coming into operation of this Act were
registered with the Local Authority, and had been in uninterrupted use
for many years; and to applications for the renewal of two existing
licences. The five licences were granted.
As the Ministry of Food have not taken possession, under the Defence
(General) Regulations, 1939, of any of these slaughterhouses none has been
used since the Livestock (Restrictions on Slaughtering) Order, 1940 came
into operation on January 15th,
FOOD.
In the earlier part of the year the qualify of some imported butchers
meat and bacon was the cause of complaint both by the trade and the
purchasing public; and although examination showed much of the meat to be
of a quality inferior to that normally sold in the district, and also not
up to a standard a purchaser would expect to buy at a controlled price, the
question of fitness for food for human consumption was rendered more
difficult by the absence from some carcases of the vital organs, A marked
improvement in quality followed that period.
During the latter months enemy bombing was responsible for the
extensive damage to shopping centres. At all shops or other places where
any article of food was sold or prepared for sale, which were damaged
however slight the damage, an inspection of every article was conducted
for the purpose of withdrawing from sale any food - canned, glassed,
package or loose, contaminated by glass or other injurious substances to
such an extent as to render them unfit for human consumption.