H.—3l.

Table 2. —Showing Inspection of Premises engaged in selling or manufacturing Foodstuffs during the Year ended 31st December, 1932.

Table 3. —Legal Proceedings for Year 1932.

Number of Amount. Prosecutions. £ s. d. Milk below standard .. .. .. .. .. 43 153 17 4 Milk, added water .. .. .. .. .. 29 195 13 2 Preservative in milk .. .. .. .. 4 36 111 Colouring in milk .. .. .. .. ..1 639 Selling milk in dirty bottles .. .. .. 1 413 0 Filling milk bottles on road .. .. .. ..1 6190 Preservative in cream .. .. .. .. 2 8 113 Butter, excess moisture .. .. .. ..1 306 Camphorated oil below standard .. .. .. 11 42 3 0 Beer, excess chloride .. .. .. .. 1 115 6 Canned peas below standard .. .. .. 1 410 0 Preservative in meat .. .. .. .. 9 35 12 1 Spirits not true to label .. .. .. 7 270 4 7 Food premises (Regulation H. 125) .. .. 2 34 6 0 Plumbing and Drainage Regulations .. .. ..2 212 0 Insufficient water-supply .. .. .. 1 212 6 Totals .. .. .. .. ..116 £808 15 7

SECTION 6.—ADMINISTRATION. Staff Changes. —During the year Dr. R. J. R. Mecredy, Medical Officer of Health, New Plymouth, resigned, and Dr. M. A. Champtaloup was appointed to the joint duties of Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer for the New Plymouth Health District. I regret having to chronicle the death at Masterton of Inspector W. A. McGregor. He was one of the sturdy and popular old-timers in the Inspector service, but for two years past had shown signs of failing health. Economy Measures. —My thanks are again due to officers for necessary economy in travelling and other administrative expenses. Sanitary Administration. —Reports received from the various Medical Officers of Health appear to show that, despite the times we live in, the sanitary services of local authorities are being satisfactorily maintained and in a very few instances such as at Blenheim and Eastbourne necessary drainage schemes are in process of installation. A few very necessary additions to water-supplies also are under construction. In general both public and private building has greatly lessened. Infectious Diseases. —The year has been a very light one in respect of infectious-diseases outbreaks. Food and Drugs. —During the year several amendments of the regulations were passed. It was found advisible to require on the labels of any proprietary preparation containing thyroid gland a warning that the preparation should not be used except under medical direction. This arose out of the widespead sale of such a preparation for treatment of obesity. A similar provision already exists for the labelling of goitre remedies containing iodine. Provision has been made fur the use of sodium

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Number of Premises inspected Number of Number of such Health District engaged in the Instances Articles Food Premises Selling or were "seized" requiring Sanitary Manufacture of or "destroyed." Alteration. Foodstuffs. North Auckland .. .. .. .. 1,337 2 233 Central Auckland .. .. . . .. 1,741 30 348 South Auckland .. .. .. .. 2,604 3 221 Thames-Tauranga .. .. .. . . 472 .. 86 Taranaki .. .. .. .. . . 300 13 40 East Cape .. .. .. .. .. 741 3 165 Wanganui-Horowhenua .. .. .. 575 46 32 Wairarapa-Hawke's Bay .. .. ■ .. 342 1 14 Central Wellington .. .. .. .. 379 29 20 Nelson-Marlborough . . . . . . .. 508 3 36 Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. 896 5 5 West Coast .. .. .. .. .. 553 11 27 Otago .. .. .. .. .. 2,536 7 293 Southland .. .. .. .. .. 1,008 4 41 Totals .. .. .. .. 13,992 157 1,561