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It will be seen from the foregoing: that quite a large
number of shopkeepers failed to discharge their obligations
under the Act, chiefly by not affixing the various notices
required by the Statute.
On each occasion the provisions of the Act were clearly
pointed out to the shopkeepers by the Inspector.
During the inspections several complaints were received
that shopkeepers were contravening the Act, and observations
were consequently kept, and the matters reported to the
Public Health Committee, who resolved that legal proceedings
be taken in three instances, two for selling non-exempted
articles on the closing day, and one for employing four young
persons (under age of 18 years) more than the prescribed
number of hours (74 per week, including meal times), and
also for failing to close the shop on one half-day during a
certain week.
Only one of these cases was heard during the year, the
fine being 1s. and 1s. costs; the other two cases were reported
at the close of the year, consequently proceedings were not
instituted till 1914.
In two other cases a warning was issued, and in forty-one
cases where the shopkeepers failed to close their shops on one
half-day in the week preceding Christmas week, the Committee
resolved that having regard to the special circumstances,
the Committee is not prepared to expend public
money on proceedings which might be regarded as oppressive,
and which would not be conducive to the observance of the
Act.
Slaughterhouses and Food Inspection.—Two hundred and
fifty-six inspections of the six registered slaughter-houses in
the district have been made during the year, and I have
endeavoured to so arrange these visits that they have taken
place whilst slaughtering was in progress, and so that all
food animals killed in the town can be examined prior to being
exposed for sale.
The number of animals examined was 543, comprising:
104 cattle, 3 calves, 270 pigs, and 166 sheep; and out of this
number it was only found necessary to condemn and destroy
the following as being unfit for human consumption:—
3 bullocks' livers.
1 bullock's offal.
1 heifer's pluck.
3 pigs' carcases.
22 pigs' plucks and offal.
2 sheeps' livers.
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