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34
Control staff, and the reduction in sewer infestations is clearly shown
in the following figures: —
1950 (November treatment) 114 infested manholes.
1953 ( „ „ ) 77 „ „
1956 ( „ ) 85 „ „
1959 ( „ „ ) 26 „ „
During the year contracts were renewed with the Surrey County
Council for regular visits to be made to schools and institutions, and
other contracts were renewed with business premises in the Borough.
These agreements are of value in that periodical visits by trained staff
ensure that any evidence of rodent infestation is quickly noted and
treatment applied. Such prompt action prevents an infestation
becoming extensive, and indirectly lessens the risk of damage to goods
and stock carried in the premises.
SHOPS ACT, 1950.
There are 793 shops on the Department's Register and 51
inspections were made during the year. In addition, however, the
requirements of the Act were checked during visits to premises for
other purposes, as for example, in the course of inspections of food
premises.
Advice was given from time to time on the employment of young
persons, hours of closing, and other welfare provisions of the Act,
and in one instance it was necessary to resort to legal proceedings to
enforce these statutory requirements. This case was taken under
Sections 31 and 32, Shops Act, 1950, and related to the illegal employment
of a young person in a cafe after 10 p.m., and the failure of
the propietor of the business to keep records of employment of young
persons. Fines amounting to £3 were imposed.
The Shops Act is not an easy statute to understand or to administer
and the arrival at a correct interpretation of many of its sections often
constitutes a journey of some difficulty to both traders and Council s
officers. This is particularly so in the case of "mixed" trades, and
one may example the proprietor of one business in the Borough who
elected to sell gramophone records at the front of his shop and to
conduct a coffee-bar at the rear. In order to comply with the Shops
Act, the unfortunate proprietor on every Wednesday afternoon and
Sunday had to cover up his entire stock of records and exhibit a noticc
to the effect that the shop was open only for the sale of refreshments.