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154
PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON) BILL.
A Bill with this title, " to amend and extend the Public
Health (London) Act, 1891," was introduced by Sir Henry
Roscoe and others in the Session of 1893. The principal
sanitary objects of the Bill were (a) to facilitate the regular
cleansing of ash-pits, by requiring that they shall be cleansed
out and emptied at least once in seven days (sec. 1) ; (6) to
prevent the cutting-off of water supply for non-payment of
rates, when the rate is payable by the occupier, by making
the rate a first charge on the dwelling house, the amount being
recoverable from the owner as a debt due from him, after due
notice to him to pay, the owner to be entitled to add the
amount of the rate to the rent payable to him by the occupier
in default (sec. 2); and (c) to provide for the compulsory
removal to hospital of a person sick of an infectious disease
who is not provided with lodging and accommodation in
which proper precautions can be taken to prevent the spreading
of the disease (sec. 3). Section 5 was to enable the Local
Government Board to limit a time within which a defaulting
Sanitary Authority must provide and fit up a Mortuary: the
Board's order to be enforceable by writ of Mandamus, the
County Council, at the discretion of the Board, to be appointed
to provide and fit up the Mortuary. Other provisions of
minor importance referred to Milk Supply (sec. 4), Bye-laws
providing for air space about buildings (sec. 9), and number
and certification of Sanitary Inspectors (sees. 6—7). This
useful measure, like so many others, had to be dropped. It
will no doubt be revived at some future time, in view of which
eventuality it would be well that the Sanitary Authorities
should consider what other amendments are desirable, to
rectify observed defects, and to supply such additional powers
as experience of the working of the Act may have shown to
be required.