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52
Shops Act, 1934.—The Act deals mainly with the employment of shop
assistants under eighteen years of age and with the arrangements in shops and
warehouses for the health and comfort of workers. The Council in their capacity
as sanitary authority have to enforce some of these welfare provisions. The remainder
of the Act is administered by the London County Council. The term " Shop"
includes any premises where any retail trade or business is carried on, any wholesale
shop and any warehouses kept for the purposes of trade by any person carrying
on any retail trade or business, or by any wholesale dealer or merchant. The Council
delegated all their powers, except the appointment of inspectors, to the Public
Health Committee. The welfare provisions, with the enforcement of which this
Council are charged, are those which deal with ventilation, heating and the provision
of sanitary conveniences, and the Medical Officer of Health and all the Sanitary
Inspectors were appointed inspectors for this purpose.
There are approximately 2,000 shops in the Borough. During the year a start
was made on their systematic inspection, and 704 were so inspected. Decisions as
to the standards to be aimed at or accepted have been postponed until the shops
position as a whole can be reviewed. The problems to be faced include defining
the limits of a reasonable temperature in open-fronted shops, shops with open
doorways and shops with closed fronts; settling what is suitable and sufficient
ventilation in these types; deciding what "conveniently available" means in the
case of sanitary conveniences, or what special circumstances would justify the
issue of a certificate of exemption, and so on. Until the extent of the problem is
known, it is, no doubt, wiser to defer these decisions. Certificates of exemption
with regard to sanitary conveniences were issued in four instances.
Smoke Abatement.—The problem of smoke abatement in Woolwich is not a
large one. During the year, sixteen special observations were made to ascertain
whether there were any breaches of the law regarding smoke emission. One nuisance
was discovered and a notice was served. This resulted in the abatement of the
nuisance and no legal proceedings were necessary.
Public Baths and Washhouses.—There are three bathing establishments
in the Borough, one at Plumstead, one at Woolwich, and a small one at North
Woolwich. At Plumstead there is a First Class Swimming Bath (capacity 120,000
gallons); a Second Class Swimming Bath (capacity 80,000 gallons); 64 Slipper
Baths and a separate building for Turkish and Russian Vapour Baths. There is
also a Public Washhouse. At Woolwich there is a First Class Swimming Bath
(capacity 120,000 gallons); a Second Class Swimming Bath (Capacity 90,000 gallons)
and 60 Slipper Baths. At North Woolwich there are 22 Slipper Baths.
Through the courtesy of the Baths Superintendent I am able to say that the
total number using the Swimming Baths during the year was 280,437; Turkish
and Russian Vapour Baths, 12,988; Slipper Baths, 174,436; and the Public
Washhouse, 16,229.