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The Conference, which extended over two days (July 7th and 18th), was opened by the
Chairman of the County Council, and ably managed by Mr. Henry Jephson, one of the members
for North Kensington, and the Chairman of the Public Health Committee, who presided on
both days.
SANITARY LEGISLATION.
(The London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1904.)
This measure, certain clauses of which, in "Part IV.—Sanitary," received much attention
in the consideration of the Draft Bill by a special committee of the Council in 1903, became law
on the 15th August. The provisions of interest to Sanitary Authorities are contained mainly in
that Part.
Section 19 enables the Sanitary Authority, at their own expense, to cleanse, purify, or
destroy any articles in any house, or part thereof, if in such a filthy or unwholesome condition as
to affect or endanger health, or if such purification is requisite to prevent risk of, or to check,
infectious disease. The Sanitary Authority will have to compensate the owner if unnecessary
damage be done, and reasonably to compensate him for any articles destroyed.
Section 20 enables the Sanitary Authority to enforce the cleansing of houses infected with
vermin—upon notice in writing to the owner or occupier of a house, or part thereof, requiring him,
within a specified period, to cleanse such house or any portion thereof; and, if so required, to remove
the wall-paper, and to take such other steps for the purpose of destroying and removing vermin as
the case may require. The person on whom the notice is served becomes liable, on summary
conviction, to a fine not exceeding ten shillings for every day during which he makes default in
complying with the requirements of the notice; and the Sanitary Authority may, after the
expiration of the period specified in the notice, do any work required by the notice, and recover all
reasonable costs and expenses incurred in so doing from the person making default.
Section 21 enacts that section 59 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, "shall, for the
purposes" of the aforementioned sections 19 and 20, "extend and be applicable to the provision of
means" for giving effect to them "as if the said section were re-enacted herein and in terms made
applicable thereto."
Section 22 enables the Sanitary Authority to require the removal or alteration of sanitary
conveniences (urinals, etc.) accessible from any street, if so placed or constructed as to be a
nuisance or offensive to public decency. The owner on whom the notice is served, becomes liable,
on summary conviction—for failure to comply therewith within a reasonable time—to a fine not
exceeding five pounds, and to a further fine not exceeding twenty shillings a day for continued
default after such conviction.
Section 23 enables the Sanitary Authority to enforce the removal of a fixed ash-pit where a
moveable ash-pit, "conforming with the requirements of any by-law or order made under any
statutory power or authority in that behalf," shall have been provided. Fine, on summary
conviction, for default in complying with the notice within the prescribed period, not exceeding
twenty-shillings, and a further penalty not exceeding ten shillings a day, for continued default after
such conviction. The Sanitary Authority may, if they think fit, bear part or all of any reasonable
costs and expenses incurred in executing work under this Section.
Section 24 gives the Sanitary Authority power of entry if they have reasonable cause to
suppose any house, or part thereof, contains filthy, dangerous, or unwholesome articles, requiring to
be purified (Section 19), or is "infested with vermin" (Section 20). It also gives power of entry to
any house, premises, etc., for the purpose of examining whether there is any contravention of the
provisions of this Part of the Act, or any non-compliance with the requirements of any notice given
thereunder.
Section 48 enacts that any pecuniary penalty inflicted, in consequence of proceedings taken
by a Sanitary Authority against any person, in respect of any offence under "Part VIII. (Icecreams)"
of the County Council's (General Powers) Act, 1902, shall be payable and paid to such
Sanitary Authority.
Part V. of the Act, dealing with "Tuberculosis of the Udder in Cows," enables the County
Council's veterinary surgeon to cause any cow suspected by him to be suffering from that disease,
to be removed from any dairy farm, or cowshed, situate in the County, and—after valuation, with
a view to settling the amount of compensation payable to the owner—to be slaughtered.