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161 contraventions were recorded, these being classified as:—
Serving customers after closing hours, 73; intervals for meals not
given to assistants, 6; assistants not having a half-holiday, 20;
young persons employed in excess of 48 hours per week, 59; young
persons not allowed interval of 11 consecutive hours, 3.
657 letters were sent to traders regarding the absence of
appropriate notices, in 14 instances the traders receiving a final
warning. In five cases it was necessary to take legal proceedings,
fines amounting in total to £9 being inflicted.
The following contraventions of the provisions of Section 10
of the Shops Act, 1934, were noted:—Absence of suitable and
sufficient sanitary and washing accommodation, 20; insufficient
sanitary accommodation, 33; absence of or insufficient means of
heating, 112; and absence of suitable and sufficient facilities for
taking meals, 15. Defects of sanitation noted included Dirty
or defective water-closet accommodation, 54; absence of properly
constructed intervening ventilated lobbies between water-closets
and shop, 12; walls of shops dirty, 5 ; and water-closets choked, 2.
Five certificates of exemption from the provisions requiring
sanitary accommodation were granted and two refused.
During the year 172 contraventions of the provisions of the
Shops (Sunday Trading Restriction) Act, 1936, were noted, these
being classified as:—Serving customers with non-exempted goods,
12; assistants not receiving compensatory holiday, 8; records of
compensatory holidays not kept, 66; notices not exhibited, 80;
assistants employed on more Sundays in month than allowed, 6.
In each case a warning was given.
During the latter part of the year the fixing of a definite day
as the weekly half-holiday for shops was considered and preliminary
steps were taken with the object of obtaining a decision.
Application was also made by the Motor Agents' Association
for an Exemption Order from the provisions as to weekly halfholiday
for the sale of motors. This matter is still under
consideration.
RATS AND MICE (DESTRUCTION) ACT, 1919.
104 complaints were received during the year regarding the
presence of rats. On receipt of a complaint, an inspection is made
by a sanitary inspector ; where any sanitary defects or nuisances
remediable under the Public Health Acts likely to be predisposing
causes of the presence of rats are found the necessary action is
taken, and the complaint is forwarded to the County's Inspector.
PLACES OF PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT.
88 visits were paid to places of public entertainment for
inspection of their sanitary condition. In all instances the sanitary
arrangements were found to be satisfactory.