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There are 199 of these registered, and their premises are under
the constant supervision of the Inspectors. Mr. West tells me that the
small milk retailer—the keeper of a general shop—is one of the most
difficult persons to deal with.
Why such a person, if he chooses to sell milk, must be registered by
the Local Authority without any regard to the suitability of his premises,
and then cast the onus upon the Authority of taking proceedings
against him for not complying with the Regulations, which no reasonable
person ever expected he could carry out, is a fine example of
putting the cart before the horse. To get a conviction at the Police
Court against such a person, however dirty and unsuitable the premises,
is a remote contingency, and the most your officers can do is to keep
pegging away and educating all engaged in the milk trade up to a
standard more in consonance with modern views.
SLAUGHTER- HOUSES.
There are 15 slaughter-houses in the District—14 registered and
1 licensed.
None of the premises conform to the requirements suggested by the
Local Government Board—as to site and structure—for the granting
of new licenses and humane slaughtering in most of them is impossible.
In the premises most frequently used the animals are driven in,
fastened to a stake and slaughtered in an old building, with the smoking
carcases of the recently killed in full view.
There are 98 butchers' shops, and these and other premises—such as
fish shops, etc.—are regularly visited by the Inspectors.
The slaughter-houses and other premises where food is prepared and
sold are generally well kept as to cleanliness, and supervision as far as
possible is strict and effective in the prevention of diseased or unsound
food being sold.
In the Sanitary Inspector's report will be found a list of articles
seized and the proceedings taken during the year in connection with
tubercular meat.
HOUSING OF THE WORKING CLASSES.
There are no registered lodging houses within the district.
There is ample housing accommodation in all the Wards at rentals
well within the means of the ordinary working classes. Rents run from
five to ten shillings weekly, small self-contained flats being procurable
for a less sum.
The houses generally are modern, convenient, and well built. They
have all been erected by private enterprise, under the supervision of the
building inspectors, and the air space round the dwellings exceeds that
provided for in the Model Bye-Laws of the Local Government Board.