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40
Health for a direction to be made the Food and Drugs
Authority and the necessary action was being taken to
that end at the close of the year.
CAMPING SITES.
Section 43 of The Maiden and Coombe Urban District
Council Act, 1933, enables the Council, with certain limitations,
to prohibit tents, vans, sheds or similar structures
used or intended to be used for human habitation, being
placed or kept on any land without their previous consent.
In consequence section 269 of the Public Health
Act, 1936, does not operate within this area. The limitations
to which I have referred rather seriously impair
the efficacy of these powers. For instance the tent or
similar structure must have been used or intended for
use for an unbroken period of at least three months before
control can operate.
It would appear that section 269, offers more scope
for the control of camping sites and although the necessity
does not appear to have arisen up to now, the Medical
Officer of Health and myself have under consideration the
question of advising the Council to make application to
the Minister of Health to declare that section 269 of the
Public Health Act, 1936, shall be in force and that the
corresponding section in the local act be repealed.
During the summer a number of persons camp on
land between the Beverley Brook and Robin Hood Way.
Public lavatories and drinking water are conveniently
near. It was found, however, that a danger existed from
persons obtaining water from the Beverley Brook, and on
the instructions of the Medical Officer notices were placed
in the vicinity giving warning against this.
I should estimate that not more than 50 persons are
ever encamped on this land at the same time, and that
this number is only approached during week-ends. The
site has never been found otherwise than satisfactory.