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11
NATIONAL ASSISTANCE ACT, 1948
Under Section 50 of the Act, it is the duty of the local authority to arrange
for the burial or cremation of the body of any person who has died in its area
if it appears that no suitable arrangements for the disposal of the body have or
are being made. During the year three bodies were dealt with by the Council
under these provisions.
FOOD
The Food Hygiene Regulations, 1955, came into operation during the year.
As a result the handling and storage of food should now be more hygienically
carried out. The education of all food handlers whether in factory, shop or
home in personal hygiene cannot be too strongly stressed.
Freedom from food poisoning and diseases such as dysentery and enteric
fever, is in a great measure associated with the simple precautions of handling
food with clean (washed) hands.
During the year posters stressing this were exhibited throughout the
district.
The classification of the various food businesses by type is as follows:—
I. (a) Retail food shops (excluding cafes and restaurants and
licensed premises) 149
(b) Cafes and restaurants 21
(c) Licensed premises 25
(d) Food manufactories 20
(e) Bakehouses 7
(f) Food stalls 11
II. Number of food premises registered under Section 16 of the
Food and Drugs Act, 1955, used for:—
(a) Sale or manufacture for purpose of sale of ice-cream, or
the storage of ice-cream intended for sale 86
(b) The preparation or manufacture of sausages, or potted,
pressed, pickled or preserved food intended for sale 39
III. Dairies registered under the Milk and Dairies Regulations,
1949 4
IV. Number of inspections of registered food premises 371
There are no ice-cream manufacturers in the district.
No animals were slaughtered in the district.
Food Poisoning
Eight isolated cases, all of unknown origin, were reported, but it was not
possible to obtain specimens of food eaten to identify the cause.
Special posters illustrating the causes of, and advice on how to prevent, food
poisoning were exhibited in a prominent position in the Public Library, and the
School and Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics. The posters were also displayed
on notice boards and other sites in the district and at school canteens.