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58
It was not possible to obtain satisfactory evidence with regard to the caterpillar
in the piccalilli, and cautions were issued in all the cases.
SHOPS ACT etc. ADMINISTRATION
(Mr. D. G. Tonkin* Chief Inspector
Mr. T. Gilbert* Mr, L. Pinguey, Inspectors
*Member Institute of Shops Act Administration )
The position with regard to legislation affecting shops,, in particular with regard
to closing hours, remained as heretofore, and no further positive action was taken by the
Government in respect of the recommendation of the Gowers Report.
Adequate attention however, was given to the conditions under which shop assistants
worked, and where it was found that such conditions were unsatisfactory, advice was given
to the occupier or owner of the shop in regard to such matters, and invariably improvements
were effected, although in some cases not without much discussion with the persons concerned.
Administration of the Shops Act is at most times a difficult procedure, and thanks are due
to those members of the trading community who afforded co-operation to the department.
Statistics 1955:
Shops Art 1950
Number of shops in Borough subject to the Act 1,957
Number of shops in Borough closed 79
Total 2,036
Other premises 53
Number of shops visited 1, 595
There were 769 visits to premises in connection with the health and comfort provisions
of the Act, and 62 premises were found to be unsatisfactory.
Visits regarding records required to be kept were 781 and in 144 cases the records were
found to be not properly kept.
1,090 shops were visited after closing hours and 518 visits were made during holiday
closing time.
Though the great majority of shop-keepers are co-operative in the matter of closing
hours, it was necessary to issue verbal cautions in 105 cases and to write warning letters
in 28 instances.
Legal proceedings
Six summonses were issued against four persistent offenders during the year:
1 (a) Sunday Trading - serving non-exempted goods Fined £2.
(b) Weekly half-holiday Dismissed
2 (a) Local Closing Order (Grocery) serving grocery
after 7 p. m. Pined £1
(b) Local Closing Order (Breads serving bread
after 7 p.m. Fined £l
3 Sunday Trading serving non-exempted goods Fined £2
4 Evening closing hours - serving tobacco
after 8 p m Fined £1
The following table gives the number of shop assistants employed in the Borough:
Males 1, 280
Females 1, 990
Young persons M. 91
" " F. 153
Total 3,514
This shows an increase of over 300 persons employed in shops during the year.
It was noted during the year that in 154 instances there was a change of occupier;
in 59 cases the occupier and the trade changed and in 3 instances the occupier changed
the trade.
There were 7 shops registered in respect of Sunday Trading by Members of the Jewish
faith and there were 4 Kosher butchers operating.
Pharmacy and Poisons Act 1953
Numbers of persons listed to retail Part II poisons 165 (Renewals - 152;New
applications - 13). There were 184 visits made primarily in connection with storage of
poisons.
Seven of the new applications were due to change of occupier.