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2l
fried fish business might, under certain circumstances be considered
an offensive trade, requested me to furnish further information, and
on January 2nd of this year (1911) I reported as follows:—
" I have to report more fully the conditions under which
the fried fish trade is carried on in this district, and the need,
if any, for greater control being exercised over it.
I would first premise that, so far as I understand the
matter, no idea of prohibiting the perfectly legitimate trade in
question has been mooted, either in this district or in any other
in which better control has been sought.
The plain fact is, however, that the fried fish business
may not only be, if improperly carried on, an intolerable
nuisance and source of detriment to a locality and its old
established traders, but a source of danger and positive illness
to those actually patronising it.
It may be fairly said that a business of this description
which is a nuisance to neighbouring residents, is pretty sure to
be a positive danger to its patrons, and that any regulations,
designed to prevent a business where food is prepared being
offensive, would be valuable safeguards to the working class
customers of the establishment.
It is true that lately complaints have not been made to
me respecting the conduct of any of the fried fish shops in
this district, but this is because we have hitherto been able by
close supervision and moral suasion, to obtain compliance with
our request.
The district is, however, becoming more populous, and
these places are increasing in number. The difficulty of
control by purely personal authority therefore is ingravescent,