H. —31.

Table 2. —Showing Inspection of Premises engaged in Selling or Manufacturing Foodstuffs during the Year ended 31st December, 1931.

Table 3.—Legal Proceedings foe Year 1931. Number of Prosecutions. Amount. £ S. d. Milk below standard .. .. • • ■ • 29 104 4 7 Milk, added water .. • • • • • ■ . . 22 151 0 3 lee-cream below standard .. • • • • 6 22 13 0 Butter below standard .. • • ■ • 3 9 118 Preservative in butter .. •• •• ..1 726 Spirits not true to label .. • • • - 3 70 14 0 Cream below standard .. •• ..1 456 Coffee and chickory essence below standard .. 1 9 3 6 Camphorated oil below standard .. .. .. 3 12119 Beer below standard .. .. .. •. .. 6 44 16 0 Spirits below standard .. .. •• 1 9136 Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act .. .. 1 113 0 Recovery of St. Helens Hospitals fees .. .. 1 3 2 0 Illegal private hospital .. .. •• ..1 650 Food premises (Regulation H. 125) .. .. 1 2 10 Infectious-disease regulations .. .. •• ..1 2110 Plumbers Registration Act .. .. .. ..2 2110 Totals .. . • • • • • 81 £452 19 3 SECTION 6,—ADMINISTRATION. Economy Measures— Reduction of Staff : A sad feature of this period of economic depression is the parting from highly valued colleagues. It became necessary pursuant to emergency legislation to consider the retirement of officers aged sixty or over, and I chronicle with regret the voluntary retirement of two Medical Officers of Health, Drs. H. Chesson and W. B. Mercer, and four inspectors— viz., Senior Inspectors Middleton, Cameron, and Kershaw, and Inspector York. These were well tried and trusted long-service officers, esteemed for their mature judgment and broad and friendly spirit. Their retirement at the age of sixty is premature in respect of their capacity for future work. Since no new appointments are to be made to fill the vacancies thus created, it became necessary to effect some transfers in order to widen the boundaries of certain districts. Travelling-expenses. —My thanks are again due to officers for a considerable reduction in travelling and other expenses. That the times we live in are such that these efforts must be maintained will be self-evident, and I am confident that every officer will continue to do his part. New Health District. —Recently Dr. Cook assumed duty at Whangarei, combining there the duties of Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer. Food and Drugs. —Sampling under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act has been well maintained. Several local authorities have sought to have their Inspectors appointed officers under the Act for the purpose of keeping a closer watch on the local milk-supply and generally observing the condition of fresh foodstuffs. īt is encouraging to find local authorities taking this interest. 3—H. 31.

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Number of Premises inspected Namber of Number of such tt hi. T-v- i i engaged in the Instances Articles Food Premises Healtll District. on* <<*j" • • o *4. Selling or were seized requiring Sanitary Manufacture of or " destroyed." Alteration. Foodstuffs. North Auckland .. .. .. .. 1,804 5 314 Central Auckland .. .. .. .. 1,105 55 219 South Auckland • .. .. .. 2,429 5 156 Thames-Tauranga .. .. . . " .. 478 .. 118 Taranaki .. .. .. .. ■ • 354 17 31 East Cape .. .. .. .. . • 737 9 214 Wanganui-Horowhenua .. .. .. 375 69 28 Wairarapa-Hawke's Bay .. .. .. 326 1 9 Central Wellington . . . . .. . . 379 52 9 Nelson-Marlborough .. .. .. . . 690 11 41 Canterbury . . .. . . • ■ ■ • 1,005 3 West Coast .. .. .. . • ■. 662 10 39 Otago .. .. .. • • 1,649 7 182 Southland . . .. . . . . .. 826 3 26 Totals .. .. .. .. 12,819 247 1,386