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owners have been negligent, and have allowed their bake-houses to get into
a dirty state, but after the usual form of notice had been served upon them,
they have done what was required.
Cellars.—There is no part of the Inspectors' duty that demands the
exercise of greater vigilance than that which relates to the supervision of
cellars. So many of these underground places are in this District occupied by
families, and so fraught with evil is the practice, that the utmost care is
required that the restrictions placed by the Legislature upon the use of cellars
should be strictly maintained. The Inspectors' duty in this respect, is
likely to be facilitated by a decision given by Mr. Vaughan, the Police
Magistrate at Bow Street, in the course of the past year. An occupier of a
cellar having declined to discontinue its use, was summoned before Mr.
Vaughan, and a conviction was obtained. This was the first occasion that
an occupier had been summoned at Bow Street. The decision is likely to
induce other occupiers to yield a more ready compliance with the law than
heretofore. It appeared that the occupier was liable for each and every day
that he occupied the cellar, but that a separate summons was required for
each day's occupation before a penalty could be inflicted. This cumbrous
process qualifies in some degree our satisfaction with the first conviction.
Workshops.—The Workshops' Regulation Act has been in force some
time, and has been applied in several instances. The hours of labour have
been altered in many shops, and, generally the owners seem to be willing to
assist in carrying out the Act. A summons was taken out in one instance
against a dress-maker for working the girls beyond the legal hours on
Saturday, and the defendant was fined.
Bad Food.—Inspector Dixon seized during the year, six parcels of bad
meat (one lot was from a cook shop, and was offered for sale as cooked meat),
17 parcels of fruit, and 11 of bad fish; making a total of 34 parcels.
I have the honour to be, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
GEORGE ROSS, M.D.