View report page

169
reaching this office, and that it is within 1½ miles of practically all
points of the occupied area. In the circumstances he does not
consider that the appointment of a certifying surgeon resident in
the Bow district is necessary.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
W. P. BYRNE.
The Town Clerk, Poplar.
Shops Bill.
A Bill to amend the Law relating to Shops. Presented by Sir Charles
Dilke, supported by Mr. Seddon, Mr. Bowerman, Mr. Arthur
Henderson, Mr. Charles Price, Mr. Scott, Mr. Shackleton and
Mr. Wedgwood. Ordered, by the House of Commons, to be printed,
24th February, 1910.
Memorandum.
This Bill is drawn on the same lines as the Bill introduced in the
Sessions of 1904 and 1905. The first three clauses have been modified in
consequence of the passing of the Shop Hours Act, 1904. It is proposed
by this Bill to amend the Shop Hours Act by making it compulsory on
local authorities to make closing orders for their araas, while empowering
them to refer to the ratepayers the questions whether any order shall
come into operation at all, and whether any alteration shall be made in
the proposed order. The Bill determines the latest closing hours for each
day which may be fixed by the local authority, leaving the local authority
free to distribute the particular closing hours over the different days of the
week. In order to ensure uniformity as far as is convenient, it is proposed
to give control to authorities administering wide areas, viz., the county
council in London, the borough or urban district council in a borough or
urban district with a population of over five thousand, and elsewhere the
jounty council. This Bill repeats the miscellaneous proposals of the Bill
ol 1904 with regard to Sunday closing of shops, the prohibition of employment
of children under fourteen, hoars of employment in shops, sanitary
condition and ventilation, and sanitary conveniences. It is so designed as
to give to persons employed in shops some of the protection which the
existing law gives to persons employed in factories and workshons.