View report page

Although many of these appliances have been Installed in homes since the war, there
remains many thousands of houses in West Ham, where old grates and kitchen ranges are
still being used. Prior to the war, when coal was plentiful and of a consistently good
quality, these old fires burned cheerfully enough but unfortunately with considerable
waste.
At the present time, owing to the fact that many of the beat coal seams have been
worked out, and that mechanisation of the mines is increasing, the coal which reaches
domestic consumers is often much smaller in size and will not burn so satisfactorily in
the old types of appliances.
Aided by scientific research, manufacturers have with increasing success since
the war tackled the problems of producing solid fuel appliances which measure up to
modern requirements of higher efficiency and greater economy, and will burn a wide
variety of solid fuels, including small coal.
These appliances incorporate the most important development in the design of
domestic solid fuel appliances, namely effective draught control. Whereas the pre-war
fires blazed away virtually without control, the new types can be so controlled that
the fuel is consumed at an economical rate when the room is not in use, or when it
becomes too hot to be comfortable.
One of the effects of the development of new domestic solid fuel appliances
since the war has been to increase the need for an advisory service to help the public
to choose the kind of fire, stove, boiler or cooker to suit individual needs. If, however,
the public are to make the best possible use of the new equipment they must also be advised
as to the correct fuels for it.
The Coal Utilisation Service has recognised the need for such a service and has
started a Technical Diploma Scheme for merchants. The diploma is awarded to merchants
with a requisite number of staff who have been awarded the C ,U.C. Certificate of
Proficiency. The object of the course is to ensure that sales staff have sufficient
knowledge of solid fuels and of modern appliances to be able to advise their customers
on matters affecting either.
Food Inspection.
In the Borough there are approximately 1750 establishments where food is sold or
prepared for sale, and during the year, 3640 visits were made to these premises. Of this
number, 735 are registered under the West Ham Corporation Act 1937, Section 67, in
connection with the sale of ice cream or preserved foods.
The types of registered premises are as follows:-
Butchers
Wet & Pried Pish Shops
Ice Cream Establishments
125
63
312
Greengrocers
Grocers
43
192
The number of licensed distributors of milk is 261 and 535 licences have been issued
in relation to designated milk sold by them. One establishment is registered for the
sterilisation and sale of sterilised milk.
29