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3.
gifts of pots of growing mint and. so on all make for a fuller life
for the Borough's Old Folk.
The situation with regard to Public Health Inspectors is not so good as
had been hoped when last year's report was written, because it is becoming
even more obvious that the attraction of less urbanised areas than Shoreditch
is too great. So much is this the case, that inspectors trained in this
department are willing to sacrifice their financial help rather than to
remain for the minimum period of two years asked by the Council! This state
of affairs is very discouraging to the inspectors who spend their prccious
time training these students. Many people (including even some members of
the Council) assume that there is little work for public health inspectors,
now that the major part of the Borough has been rebuilt since the War, but a
glimpse at the new 1959 legislation listed at the end of this report (p. 48)
should convince the doubters that there are still plenty of facets available,
apart from the legislation in existence prior to 19591 (as covered by
Part VI of this report - p. 22 at seq.)
The Rent Act work, involving certificates of disrepair and revocation
certificates has again gone smoothly, without appeals against the Council's
decisions, by either landlords or tenants - but would have been more
effective if the certificates of disrepair had been compiled by trained
workers instead of by tenants.
The first smoke control order took effect on the 1st September, 1959,
and has worked very smoothly, a second one has been approved in principle,
and it is hoped to cover the whole borough in 7 stages by 1966. (See map, p.33)
The total number of factories at the end of the year was 1,174 (a slight
increase), and outworkers totalled 1,203.
Rodent servicing contracts brought in £1475.17.0. 27 block control
schemes were carried out, 65 premises were satisfactorily treated for rat
infestation, and 111 for mice (all of minor character, 418 sewer manholes
were baited twice during the year, and indicated a reduction in rat population
(these figures are for only 9 months, so that future figures may show the
calendar year's results instead of the financial year's as previously.
Our Food Inspector paid 3,538 visits, and we were able during the year
to close the last of the Borough's underground bakehouses. School canteens
and the 81 factory canteens were found to be well maintained, and much
propaganda was used, both verbal and written.
Street traders cooperated well, and the 121 Public Houses cane up to a
good standard, as also did the ice cream sampled.
Our Public Analyst examined 229 samples, the main sophistication being
found in ground nutmeg, which was impossible to pinpoint. No food had to be
seized as unfit, but 428 certificates were issued for unsound food voluntarily
surrendered.