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85
INSPECTOR OF NUISANCES.
As Ilford is an Urban District the appointment of only
one Inspector of Nuisances is legal. In addition there are
three Assistant Sanitary Inspectors. Section 189 of the
Public Health Act, 1875, which sanctions the appointment
of Inspector of Nuisances in Urban Districts, mentions this
appointment in the singular, while the following section,
which applies to Rural Districts, mentions the plural
number. It was an unfortunate drafting of the clause, as
one Inspector for a large urban area is obviously insufficient,
and any other officers appointed have no legal standing.
Two of the Assistants hold extra certificates, but have no
power to seize unsound food, a very serious disqualification
in a large and growing area such as this. Moreover none of
the salary of the Assistant Inspectors is recoverable from the
County, this district thus only being assisted by the repayment
of the half salary of the Inspector of Nuisances. If
at any time the Council promote another Bill in Parliament,
a clause permitting the appointment of more than one
Inspector of Nuisances obviously requires insertion, as it
would mean assistance from the County of about £300 a
year, and more in the future as the staff increases.
At the present time two of the Assistant Inspectors have
certain separate portions of the district assigned to them,
and each deals chiefly with nuisances and enquiries as to
infectious disease, etc., in his respective areas. The other
Assistant Inspector is responsible for, and carries out the
work of, disinfection over the whole area, and when not so
engaged carries out the same duties as the other Assistant
Sanitary Inspectors, but in a separate portion of the district.
Below is given a statement, according to the last Local
Government Regulations, of the detailed work carried out by
these officers.