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Official cautions were issued to the importers of biscuits called 'Cheese-filled Krisps' because the
soft filling was flavoured with cheese; and to the manufacturers of a drink labelled 'Raspberry juice" because
on analysis it was found to be a compound of raspberry juice and sugar. Warnings were given to the importers
of tinned smoked Saithe found to contain prohibitive preservative, to the retailer of sausages where the preservative
was undeclared, and to the importers of 'Cream of Mushroom' dried soup mix found to be deficient
in fat content.
In the case of ten samples of fresh meat preserved with sulphur dioxide, one retailer was officially
cautioned in respect of three joints, another trader was prosecuted in respect of minced beef and joints of
beef and fined £25 on each of two counts with costs of £10.10.0, and a third firm of butchers was fined £25
with £10.10.0 costs for adding preservative to steak and kidney. The packers of pre-packed 'Beef fingers"
were cautioned because the food consisted of beef and 31% carbohydrate filler.
Merchandise Marks Act, 1887-1953
1,007 displays of articles of food were examined under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1887-1953.
Minor infringements detected were dealt with by verbal warnings, but one firm who described blended tea
as Ceylon was prosecuted and fined £20 with £5.5.0 costs.
Labelling of Food Order, 1953
1,147 articles of pre-packed food were examined under the Labelling of Food Order, 1953. No
serious infringements were detected.
False and misleading descriptions
Scrutiny of food advertisements and labels for false and misleading descriptions is usually combined
with inspections under the Merchandise Marks Acts and Labelling of Food Order. No serious infringements
were disclosed, but action was taken for descriptions applied to fruit 'juices' and a 'seedless' fig bar,
and for slimming claims for lemon juice drinks. Extravagant claims for medical remedies were also challenged
and the advertisements withdrawn.
Milk and Dairies (Table 43)
Milk sales are regulated by the Food and Drugs Act, 1955, the Milk and Dairies (General) Regulations,
1959, the Milk (Special Designation) (Pasteurised and Sterilised Milk) Regulations, 1949-1953, and
the Milk (Special Designation) (Raw Milk) Regulations, 1949-1954. Willesden has been a specified area
since October, 1951; all milk sold by retail is sterilised, pasteurised, or tuberculin tested; the sale of raw
milk is prohibited.
On 1st October, 1954, the provisions of paragraph 7 of the Second Schedule to the Milk (Special
Designation) (Pasteurised and Sterilised Milk) Regulations, 1949, came into force. This restricts the bottling
of milk to the three premises in the borough where the milk is pasteurised.
12 inspections were made of the dairies; 3 defects were found and soon remedied.
FACTORY INSPECTION
The Factories Acts 1937-48 have three main weaknesses. Firstly they do not cover all factories.
There are eleven million persons who are not protected by the Acts—domestic workers, transport workers,
office workers, electricians, painters, employees at cinemas and theatres, etc. Secondly there are not enough
factory inspectors to supervise the factories adequately: the Ministry of Labour employs just over 400
factory inspectors, to supervise over a quarter of a million factories. Willesden shares a staff of three factory
inspectors with Harrow, Kensington, Paddington and Wembley. Lastly the local authorites, with the specialised
staff of Public Health Inspectors, have very few duties in respect of factories.
The Willesden Borough Council has duties in the supervision of outworkers and basement bakehouses,
the provision of sanitary conveniences in the case of all factories and the supervision of cleanliness,
overcrowding, temperature, ventilation and drainage of floors in the case of factories in which mechanical
power is not used. The local authority is also responsible for certifying that the provisions for escape in the
case of fire are suitable. In brief, apart from the elementary duties of supervising the lavatory accommodation,
the local authority has little power in the supervision of the large majority of factories, i.e. where
mechanical power is used.
Supervision of sanitary accommodation
The Council must see that suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences, well-lit and separate for
the sexes, are provided in all factories and that they are maintained and kept clean. The Sanitary Accommodation
Regulations, 1938, also laid down rules of ventilation, privacy, screening, positioning, proper doors
and fastenings for the lavatories.
There are 835 factories in the Borough of Willesden, 774 using mechanical power and 61 nonmechanical.
The greater number of factories are in engineering (186), motor and cycle repair (98), dressmaking
(47) and food manufacture (45) (Table 44). The factories vary in size from the employment of less
than 5 persons to more than 2,000, the larger factories being in engineering, food manufacture and printing;
the majority of the factories are medium to small in size (Tables 45 and 46). More than half employ less than
10 workers and less than 1 in 10 (75) employ more than a 100 workers. Some of the factories, especially in
the Willesden Green area, are in converted houses or backyards. There are three main industrial areas in
Willesden:—
1. The north-east end of the North Circular Road area;
2. The Park Royal area in the Stonebridge ward area; and
3. The Church End area, where the main factories are British Thomson-Houston and Associated
Automation Ltd.