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83
legal proceedings.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
Summaries of the results of cases heard during the year are given in the appended
tabular statements. The total amount of fines and costs was £152 3s. 0d., as compared with
£163 9s. in 1904. Dividing the cases into two groups, (a) under Health Legislation, and
(b) Adulteration Legislation, the amounts for the five years have been:—
Health Cases. Adulteration Cases.
£ s. d. £ s. d.
1905 25 6 0 126 17 0
1901 *62 6 6 101 2 6
1903 63 6 0 100 6 6
1902 32 19 0 175 6 6
1901 40 16 0 138 13 0
*£7 18s. could not be collected owing to death of defendant, and in another case the fine (£2) was remitted,
the work having been carried out within the time specified by the Magistrate.
The fines and costs in Adulteration cases have averaged during the past seven years:—
1905. 1904. 1903. 1902. 1901. 1900. 1899.
Average per Fine £3 8 7 £2 15 2 £3 16 £3 3 8 £2 16 0 £3 4 0 £3 4 9
conviction Costs 120 158 0 15 7 0 16 0 0 15 0 123 0 14 3
Water Supply to tenement houses.— In February of last year a letter was addressed by
the County Council to all the Metropolitan Boroughs, directing attention to case heard at
Woolwich in December, 1904, in which the Magistrate decided that a tap in the yard of a
house of three floors, occupied by five families, was not a proper and sufficient supply of
water as required bv Sec. 48 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. It was suggested in
the letter that efforts should be made "to secure the provision of a proper and sufficient
supply of water for the tenants of every floor of a tenement house."
Instructions were given to the Medical Officer of Health to cause enquiries to be made
in the Borough as to the supply provided in the Clarendon Street Area, and a report was
submitted in June showing the provision at 30 houses, 10 each in Cirencester, Clarendon and
Woodchester Streets. The Committee being of opinion that the supply was not a sufficient
and proper one, directed a circular letter to be sent to the owners of the houses requesting
them to provide a better supply. Certain did so, but others took no action. Subsequently
notices under Sec. 4 of the Act were issued, followed later by proceedings at the Police Court
against the owners of six houses. The owner of one house then gave the additional supply,
but the others contested the cases. It was shown in evidence that the houses comprised
4 floors, were occupied by from 5 to 8 families, and the only supply was from a tap in the
basement—in one case under basement. Mr. Plowden decided that Sec. 48 did not apply.
"It was a fallacy to suppose that the question of whether a supply of water was sufficient
turned on the number of taps from which it could be obtained. It depended, in fact, on the
source from which the water came. Here there was plenty of water but there was
inconvenience in getting it." He dismissed the summonses. The Council's Solicitor advised
that the case was prima facie one of fact, and that, having regard to the wording of the
Section, the opinion expressed by the Magistrate was right. No appeal was therefore taken.
Diseased Meat.— The case against J. Malpas for selling a pig's pluck which was
tubercular, heard at the North London Court in November, was dismissed (without costs)
without the defendant being called on to give anv defence. The proceedings were under