33

H.—3l

The District Health Officer, Wellington, reports:— Inspector Middleton remains attached to the District Office as departmental Inspector for special sanitary work, more particularly for the, administration of the Sale of Food and Drugs Act. Wellington. —In addition to the Boroughs of Onslow and Levin, the Hutt County and the Upper Hutt Town Board have appointed the Hospital Board's Inspectors as Sanitary Inspectors for their respective districts. Wairarapa. —lnspectors Cairns and Keay continue to act as Sanitary Inspectors for all the local authorities in the Hospital Board's district. In this district, therefore, the administration is on better lines and more complete than in other Hospital Board districts. Hawke's Bay. —The Town Board of Havelock North is arranging with the Hospital Board for the services of Inspector Gardiner as Sanitary Inspector, more particularly in the inspection of drainage and plumbing-work in connection with the new drainage scheme which is now being installed. Cook. —The newly formed Mangapapa Town Board is trying to arrange for the services of Inspector York. The Cook and Waikohu Counties had previously delegated their powers under the Health Act to the Hospital Board. Wanganui.- Inspector Pargeter is in charge of the district for the purpose of infectious disease. As Inspector Wilson, who was stationed at Marton and was acting as Sanitary Inspector for some of the local bodies, has resigned his position as an officer of this Department, the Hospital Board is now considering the appointment of a second Inspector who will probably be stationed at Taihape. Many of the local bodies in the district will then probably avail themselves of the services of the Board's Inspectors as Sanitary Inspectors. Patea. —Owing to the resignation of Inspector Wilson, who was acting as Inspector for this district, the Hawera and Stratford Boards have now agreed to let Inspector Gray act for the Patea Board on the same basis of contribution as was existing between the Hawera and Stratford Boards, and the Patea Board has also agreed to this. Taranaki. —lnspector Feilder, who was temporarily appointed as Inspector, vice Inspector Kendall, who is acting as clerk of works for the new hospital, carried out his duties very satisfactorily until his resignation to take up a position in the Labour Department. The Secretary of the Board has been appointed to act as temporary Inspector. This can hardly be considered a satisfactory arrangement, and the only excuse is its temporary nature. Nelson. —The Nelson Borough arranged with the Board for the services of Inspector Coltman to assist in the sanitary inspections of the city. This should enable a large number of minor defects which, have not been properly attended to for some time to be put right, and gradually a better standard of sanitation, obtained in fkb city. In other districts no change has been made in the canying-out of sanitary inspection. The District Health Officer, Christchurch, reports :— The work of sanitary inspection has gone on as usual, there being no change in the, inspecting staff of the Department or Hospital Boards. Inspection of Hotels. The District Health Officer, Wellington, reports : — During the year 159 hotels were inspected and reported on by the Sanitary Inspectors. Extracts from these reports, with recommendations, were forwarded by me to the Licensing Committees. In several cases new drainage with modern sanitary fittings was ordered by the Licensing Bench. The recommendations of the Department have been given effect to in the large majority of cases. In a few cases adverse influences have been too strong for the recommendations of the Department to be given effect to. As the result of an important judgment of the Supreme Court, the following circular was sent to all Inspectors : — " Doubt has frequently been expressed by Licensing Committees as to their powers to enforce the recommendations of Inspectors in regard to sanitary improvements, &c. The, following summary of a case which went to the Supreme Court for decision is therefore of interest: —A.B., licensee of the Hotel, was on the 25th May asked to carry out the following improvements : A new range and hotwater service be put in the hotel, and a pipe to be connected with the bath to take the water therefrom. The yard to be gravelled ; the stable and water-closet to be thoroughly cleaned ; the yard, stable, and water-closet to be, kept clean in future ; coiling of kitchen to be painted, and leak in same attended to. " On the sth June, as these improvements had not been carried out, the Committee refused to grant any renewal of license, but stated that if requirements were complied with by the licensee before the next quarterly meeting they would then be prepared to grant a renewal. A temporary license was granted for three months. At the quarterly meeting, held on the 2nd September, it was shown that the requirements had still not been carried out, and the premises were not being maintained as required. On these grounds the renewal of license was refused. " The licensee applied in. the Supreme Court for a mandamus to compel the Licensing Committee to grant a renewal of his license. The application was heard in. the Wellington Supreme Court on the 3rd November before Mr. Justice Hosking, who found that the action of the Committee was valid and effective, and for those reasons the motion for a mandamus was dismissed." The District Health Officer, Christchurch, reports :— There were 231 hotel premises visited by the Inspectors, and reports were made to the Licensing Committees. Some of the Committees seemed doubtful as to their powers to enforce sanitary improvements, but the decision given by the Supreme Court in the, case mentioned in your memorandum of the 7th December last should be of assistance to these Committees, and, in consequence, I anticipate more support beingjgiven to the Department's recommendations.

5—H. 31.