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57
During the year the register of Factories and Workshops
had been reviewed and it reveals how many such
premises are situated in the Borough. Several years ago
I drew attention to the fact that Kingston was then becoming
quite an industrial beehive, and today the numbers of industrial
premises in the Borough is no less, and is probably
higher.
Factories are subject to inspection by H.M. Inspector
of Factories, but it is the duty of the Local Authority to
inspect the sanitary accommodation and to see that any
sanitary defects are remedied. H.M. Inspector sends notification
of any defects he has discovered, so that appropriate
action may be taken.
For years now a spirit of helpful co-operation has
existed between H.M. Inspector for the district and your
officers. Notes are compared at convenient intervals, and
as far as possible overlapping is avoided.
DISINFECTION AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
The number of houses disinfected varies from year
to year according to the prevalence of infectious disease.
During 1936, 205 rooms in 174 houses were sprayed and
fumigated with formalin in the case of ordinary infectious
diseases, but in the case of verminous premises, special
insecticide liquids and sulphur compounds were used.
Especial attention was given to rooms (and their contents)
occupied by prospective tenants of Corporation houses.
By arrangement between the Housing and Public Health
Committees, visits we're made to a number of such prospective
tenants, and where any evidence of the presence
of vermin was discovered, the bedding was subjected to
steam treatment and furniture was also dealt with by other
processes in order to eradicate the vermin. This work was
carried out at the time of removal and the articles were
delivered to the new dwelling after treatment.