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14
Several houses and flats requisitioned by the Council for rehousing
of bombed-out London families were, during the year, found to be in a
verminous condition, necessitating fumigation, generally by firms using
cyanide gas, and complete redecoration throughout.
In most other cases fumigation was carried out either by firms
using the cyanide gas process or owners or builders using a spray.
Inspection of other premises.
These premises include those at which nuisances might be anticipated
and to which 581 visits were paid.
Another group of premises which are the subject of periodical
inspection and to which 763 visits were paid consisted mainly of public
and private conveniences and air raid shelters.
Smoke Abatement.
Seven observations for smoke nuisances have been carried out.
During the 155 minutes' observations, no dense smoke was recorded, but
119 minutes of moderate smoke.
Factory Act.
In this district there are 413 factories with mechanical power,
147 without mechanical power and 119 workplaces. The numbers of
visits paid to these three classes of premises were 546, 203 and 173.
Of the 54 public health nuisances detected, 17 were due to want of
cleanliness and one to insufficient ventilation. The sanitary accommodation
was unsatisfactory in 26 instances, being unsuitable or defective
in 21 ; unclean or insufficient in 4, and not separate for sexes in 1. Ten
other nuisances were noted.
Particulars of 142 outworkers resident in this area were received.
To these 167 visits were paid.
SHOPS ACTS.
166 visits were paid to shops primarily to investigate complaints
and to give advice as to hours young persons could be employed. The
reduction in the volume of the work carried out under these Acts was
due to the Inspector who normally carries out these duties having to
give full time to his work in the Food Office, leaving to the sanitary
inspectors, already depleted in number, the work under these Acts.
No evening observations were carried out as practically all traders
were closing well before the appointed hour for closing. No other
contraventions were recorded.
The Home Office advised that regulations as regards the closing
of shops for the winter period should cease to have effect on the 28th
of February and the general closing hours on and after the 1st March, 1942
became those as fixed by Section 1, Shops (Hours of Closing) Act, 1928,
or such earlier hours as may have been determined by the Council under
Section 5 of the Shops Act, 1912. The closing hours for shops were
again altered as from the 1st November. No alteration was made in
the general closing hours during the days preceding Christmas.