View report page

61
Accordingly a Notice was served under Article V. of the Regulations, upon the
importers, forbidding the removal of the pork for any purpose other than exportation.
The importers applied for permission to export the meat, via Liverpool. Permission
was given for this to be done, provided the importers made the necessary
arrangements with the Medical Officer of Health for Liverpool. These having been
completed, the meat was despatched to Liverpool in sealed railway waggons, the numbers
of which were reported to the Medical Officer of Health for Liverpool.
The organisation of the Staff for carrying out Food Inspection has been found to
work satisfactorily, i.e., the formation of three districts, each under the control of a
Food Inspector, who is responsible for the food inspection in his district with the
assistance of the Sanitary Inspectors.
The work at times has been very hard, and has frequently necessitated the
Inspectors working overtime. It was found impossible to allow more than one Inspector
to be away at a time on holiday, and even the absence of one Inspector made it difficult
at times to carry out the work expeditiously.
Fortunately, the health of those remaining was good, so that no man was absent
from ill-health. The question of appointing additional Inspectors has been under
consideration during the year, but it has not yet been found necessary to add to the staff.
The duties of meat inspection at Queensboro' have been performed by Dr. Legge,
with the assistance of Inspector Bailey. It has been found there that the meat and
offal from certain Dutch slaughterhouses is not so carefully inspected as that from
others ; speaking generally, the results have been satisfactory.
During the suspension of work in the Port of London owing to the " strike " in
the month of August, many vessels with cargoes of foodstuffs on board were unable to
be discharged.
The refrigerating engines were able to be kept going, so that the cargoes were
ultimately discharged generally in good condition.
WATER BARGES.
The water supply to many vessels in the Port, is obtained by means of water
barges. These barges are either specially constructed for the purpose of iron, or wooden
barges containing large iron tanks, from which the water is pumped into the ship's tanks.
Vessels entering the docks can in most cases obtain a water supply from the shore
mains, so that the water barges are employed principally in the conveyance of drinking
water to vessels lying in the river.
The regular inspection of these vessels is of importance, and forms one of the
duties of your Sanitary Inspectors.
It is necessary that the tanks, when empty, shall be thoroughly cleansed and lime
or cement washed.
The number of water barges at present plying in the Port is 18, and all of these
are reported to be in good condition.
It might be added that the water which these barges supply is in all cases drawn
from the public mains, and is therefore of satisfactory purity and quality.