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One specimen was alleged to have caused illness, but analysis
proved that this could not have been so.
A certain number of specimens are brought with a request
that they should be analysed. No complaint is made, but
apparently the person would like to know what the constituents
are. Requests of this nature have to be refused as it is not the
Council's business to act in the capacity of advisors in this
respect. Section 69 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, seems
to provide for this. Under sub-section (2) any person, other
than a sampling officer, who has purchased any food or drug
may submit a sample of it to be analysed by the public analyst
for the area in which the purchase is made. The public analyst
may demand in advance a fee from such person for conducting
the analysis.
SMOKE ABATEMENT.
This problem, although not comparatively a serious one,
has been in evidence during the year and householders in certain
parts of the district have been inconvenienced thereby. Undoubtedly
war-time difficulties have been contributory factors,
but with the gradual return to more normal conditions the
problem should soon become of negligible proportions.
SHOPS ACTS.
The whole of these Acts are administered by my Department,
and there appear to have been no instances of intentional
evasion.
ERADICATION OF BED BUGS.
During the year the following number of houses were found
to be infested with bed bugs:—
Infested Disinfested
(a) Council houses — —
do (rooms) 6 6
(b) Other houses 2 2
Houses becoming vacant on the Council's estates are carefully
inspected before re-letting. These were, however, very
few during the year under review.
I am frequently asked to advise house owners on this