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109
supplied, and the proprietors of Laundries are informed when
any of their customers have an infectious case in their house.
Books from an infected house are returned direct to the
Sanitary Inspector, and disinfected by being placed in an
airtight chamber and subjected to S.O.2 fumigation under
pressure.
The Head Teachers of day schools and the responsible
officials of Sunday schools are advised of all cases of infectious
disease occurring at houses where scholars attending their
respective schools reside.
Bakehouses, Factories and Workshops.—There are 299
factories and workshops on the Register; which include
Laundries, Bakehouses, Blouse-makers, Tailors, Boot-makers,
Shirt-makers, etc.
During the year 477 inspections have been made as compared
with 262 for the previous year. Notices have been
served calling attention to breaches of the Factory and Workshop
Act.
This is a branch of work in which to some extent there is
dual responsibility, as the Inspectors of the Home Office
(Factory Department) have certain powers and duties in connection
with factories which are occasionally somewhat confusing.
For example, a bakehouse which one has known and
inspected periodically for years may in the course of 24 hours
become a factory by the simple introduction of a motor-worked
dough-mixer, when it comes under the supervision of H.M.
Inspector of Factories. I am happy to say that in spite
of this dual control there has been no clashing of interests
between the two authorities, the relations between this department
and the Factory department of the Home Office are
amicable and every effort is made on both sides to work satisfactorily
together.
We have been notified 3 times by the Chief Inspector of
Factories, of nuisances existing in workshops calling for
abatement, and on 21 occasions we have informed the Chief
Inspector of irregularities which came within his province.