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55
There was very little change during the year in the pattern of the
industrial work undertaken in the Borough and no new factory estates
were established. At most of the factories in the district less than fifty
persons are engaged and at only three are more than 500 employed.
Two hundred and forty-four visits were made to factories in the
Borough and twenty contraventions of those sections of the Factory Act
for which the Local Authority is responsible were found.
Information obtained about matters the concern of H.M. Inspector
of Factories was passed to him and in turn his Department reported to
the Local Authority any matters noted during his visits to local factories.
Shops.
At the end of the year there were 2,326 shops on the Register, thirtysix
fewer than at the end of the previous year. This reduction was partly
due to a number of shop premises being vacated for redevelopment
purposes. By comparison with the figures given in the last report of the
various types of shops in the Borough the main differences are an increase
in the number of shops trading in Radios, Televisions, Electrical and
Musical Goods and a decrease in the number trading in various food
stuffs, chiefly grocery. The number of visits for the purpose of administering
the Shops Act was 1,086. Evening and Sunday observations
were also made and the following is a summary of the contraventions
noted:—
Closing Hours of Shops.
Failing to close for weekly half-day 3
Failing to display alternative half-day notice 8
Failing to observe weekly half-day closing orders 4
Serving customers with non-exempted goods after hours of
closing 7
Failing to display mixed trade notices 39
Failing to close on Sunday 2
Serving customers with non-exempted goods on Sunday 6
Conditions of Employment.
Assistants employed on weekly half-holiday 3
Assistants not allowed proper interval for meals 1
Employment of young persons in excess of permitted hours 3
Failing to keep records of Sunday employment 3
Health and Safety.
Failing to provide seats for female assistants 1
Unsatisfactory sanitary accommodation 22
Unsatisfactory washing facilities 11
Absence of or insufficient heating 9
Premises in need of cleansing 12