View report page

.35
Metropolis Management Act Amendment(Bye Laws Bill.) This Bill, which was introduced into the
HouseofLordsbyLordMoNKSWELL,L.C.C.,
would empower the London County Council
to make bye-laws requiring persons who are
about to construct, re-construct, or alter drains in
connection with buildings to deposit with the Sanitary
Authority plans, sections, and particulars thereof. This
Board and other Local Authorities had suggested to the
London County Council that legislation was required
to obtain plans of proposed drainage works, and the
Council inserted in their Sewerage and Drainage Bill
of the Session of 1897 a clause empowering them to
make bye-laws on the subject. The Board then pointed
out to the Council that the clause as drawn would only
apply to the drains of new houses, and suggested that
its operation should be extended to alterations and reconstruction
of drains, which are very numerous. The
Council found that the advertised notice of the Bill
would not permit of this extension, and they decided
to withdraw the clause with the view of the matter
being dealt with in another Session. The Board also
suggested that the object could be best met by an extension
of the existing provisions of the Metropolis
Management Acts (which require notice to be given to
the Local Authority of intended laying of drains,), so
as to provide that the notice shall be accompanied by
such plans and particulars as the Local Authority may
require. The Council, however, came to the conclusion
that it would be more difficult to procure an alteration
of the law than to obtain powers to make bye-laws
dealing with the matter. They accordingly caused a
Bill to be introduced into the House of Lords last
Session, but the Bill was not passed. The present Bill
is similar to the Bill of last Session. The Board
have been in communication with Lord Monkswell on
the subject, and the Bill has been slightly amended. It
D 2