H.—3l.

Table 3.—Legal Proceedings foe Year 1933. Number of Prose- Amount of Fines cutions. and Costs. £ s. d. Milk below standard . . . . . • ■ • . . 40 107 18 0 Milk, added water .. .. •• ..33 164 13 3 Milk, stale .. . • • ■ • • • • • ■ 6 12 12 0 Bottling milk on street . . . . . • • ■ 1 018 0 Carrying water on milk-cart . . . . . ■ • • 1 10 0 Butter, excess moisture . . . . • • • ■ 1 117 Lime-water below standard .. .. . . •• 8 12184 Malt-extract below standard .. .. •• 1 306 Oil of eucalyptus below standard . . . • • • 1 12 0 Campliorated-oil below standard . . . • • • 1 113 1 Improper labelling .. .. .. •• •• 1 311 0 Spirits not true to label .. • ■ • • • ■ 3 70 4 8 Private Hospital Regulations . . . . . . • • 2 4 116 Dangerous Drugs Regulations . . • • . . 3 10 10 0 Unlicensed hairdresser's shop .. ■ • ■ • ■ ■ 1 110 0 Food premises (Regulation H.-125) .. .. 1 9 11 6 Draining and Plumbing Regulations . . . . . ■ 1 62 0 Obstructing and Inspector . . , . . . • • 1 6 110 Section 26 (2) (b), Health Act .. . . .. • • 1 215 6 Totals .. .. ■ • • • 107 £422 5 1 SECTION 6,—ADMINISTRATION. Staff Changes.—During the year no changes have occurred in the Medical Officer of Health Staff. Inspectors— To fill the vacancy in inspectorial staff at Masterton created by the sudden death of Mr. W. A. McGregor, transfers occurred of Mr. J. M. Swain from Taihape to Masterton, Mr. R. McCrone, Westport to Taihape, and Mr. P. A. Wallwork was appointed to Westport, Mr. M. E. Bettell was transferred from Greymouth to Christchurch, and he was replaced by Mr. T. E. Schou. 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. In general, both public and private building remains at a low level. Drainage schemes at Eastbourne and Blenheim are nearing completion. Dunedin City carried a loan proposal to bring in a greatly increased water-supply from the " Deep-Stream " source. A proposal to install a high-pressure water-supply for Kaikoura is 'Still under consideration. Food and Drugs. —During the year several amendments of the regulations were passed. A greatly extended schedule of coal-tar dyes for colouring foodstuffs was adopted. A regulation was passed to prevent the sale of any substance as a preservative for any food if the regulations prohibit the use of such preservatives in such food. The reason for this was that there was found on the market a line described as suitable for preserving milk, &c. Provision has also been made for the display of notices where reconstituted cream is sold particularly in dairies where fresh cream is also sold. Provision has been made for the use of a small amount of sodium benzoate in fruit pulp sold uncooked usually for the purposes of dessert flavouring or dressing. An extension of the regulation in relation to culinary essences allows for the use of ethylene glycol or isopropyl alcohol in addition to ethyl alcohol as solvents. It was decided to adopt the standard in the 1932 edition of the British Pharmacopoeia for liquor cresolin saponatus as the standard for lysol. A fair amount of attention has been given to sampling the commoner British Pharmacopoea drugs. Unfortunately it has been found that the existing regulations did not automatically adopt the new British Pharmacopoea as was supposed, and in consequence a new regulation will have to be gazetted, the effect of which is that existing stocks of 1914 British Pharmacopoea preparations can be marketed for a further period of twelve months. Routine sampling of milk, butter, and other foodstuffs has also received systematic attention. Thanks are again due to the Comptroller of Customs and to the Dominion Analyst and their officers for valuable assistance and advice. I desire to again express my appreciation of the loyal and able co-operation of the Medical Officers of Health and their staffs. T. McKibbin, Director, Division of Public Hygiene.

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