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Wednesday.—The Conference re-opened, Sir James
Crichton Browne presiding. The first paper was by Mr. John
Quinton, of Liverpool, on "Sanitary Inspectors in the Making
for Efficiency." The paper was an exceedingly practical one,
dealing with the causes as well as the remedies ot ex'sting
insanitary conditions. This paper was followed by a very
spirited discussion.
The next subject introduced for consideration was entitled,
"Feeding the People," an excellent paper read by Mr.
W. W. West, of Walthamstow. The writer showed the
amount of food consumed by the nation, the character of the
food and where it came from, also the dangers it was subjected
to, and the responsibilities devolving upon local authorities and
their officers for safeguarding the people's health and interest
in procuring a wholesome food supply. The discussion that
followed this paper was instructive and useful to all Inspectors
present.
The third paper read on Wednesday was by Mr. Walter
Smith, of Northumberland, on the "Housing, Town
Planning Act, &c., 1909, from a Sanitary Inspector's point of
view." Mr. Smith showed in his paper that the Act was a
most valuable one, in-as-much as it gave the Inspector greater
powers and simplified the mode of procedure in dealing with
houses unfit for human habitation, etc. This paper was much
appreciated and a very interesting discussion followed.
In the afternoon the delegates visited Messrs. Monsted's
Margarine Factory, Southall, and were conducted over the
enormous works, the largest of their kind in the world, the
various processes in the manufacture of margarine being shown.
One interesting feature of this visit was that at the tea served
at the works, half the slices of bread on the tables had upon
them butter and half pure vegetable margarine. After the
repast the guests were invited to differentiate between the
butter and the margarine that they had just eaten, but no one
was bold enough to attempt it.