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letter of 4th March, 1902, with respect to carrying out the
necessary works, the Council paying half the cost and not
claiming any right over the site of such repaired combined
drain."
The Committee feel that the Council may be congratulated on a
satisfactory settlement of an extremely difficult and delicate business,
and they—
Recommend—
That the terms of the arrangement arrived at between Mr.
Dickens and the Medical Officer of Health be approved
and adopted.
Obstructing an Officer.
The following case at the Lambeth Police Court exemplifies the
difficulty a Sanitary Inspector often experiences in the course of his
work:—
"Sanitary Inspectors' Powers.
"William G. Selby, an ex-Sanitary Inspector, of Beresford
Street, Walworth, was summoned for obstructing George Fisher, a
Sanitary Inspector in the service of the Southwark Borough Council,
in the execution of his duty.— Mr. G. C. Topham, Solicitor to the
Council, appeared in support of the summons, and Mr. Burton Ward
defended.—Inspector Fisher stated that on the 18th ultimo he went
to some premises in Prince Regent Buildings for the purpose of
inspecting some drainage works which were being carried out under
a notice served by the Council. Upon walking into the back yard he
saw the defendant, who was apparently supervising the work on
behalf of the owner of the premises, standing at the end of the
yard. He called out to the defendant, 'Good morning,' and walked
towards the drain trench. The defendant exclaimed, 'You go off
the premises. I have written to your superiors telling them I will
not have you here. He told the defendant that he should decline to
go until he had inspected the drain, and the defendant then
instructed the workmen to remove him from the premises One of
the workmen took him by the arm, and when he showed some
resistance pushed him out of the place.—Mr. Hopkins: I don't
understand the position, Mr. Topham. You serve a householder
with notice to put his drains in repair, and he proceeds to do it.
Can the Sanitary Inspector go to watch?—Mr. Topham: Yes, sir;