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94
is not to be limited to places where something is being manufactured or
made, but includes any "place where work is done permanently, and where
"people assemble together to do work permanently of some kind or other."
This definition would surely include offices.
In this relation it may be of interest to quote the view taken by H.M.
Principal Lady Inspector of Factories. In a letter dated 21st December,
1903, in reference to sanitary accommodation in offices, Miss Anderson
writes: "I trust that the case of Bennett v. Harding will cover the circum"stances
of clerks and typewriters, so as to enable the protection of Section
"38 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, to be fully extended to
"them. The increasing employment of women clerks in city offices in
"subordinate posts, and by twos and threes or small numbers in each case,
"for long hours, makes the matter one of grave importance to health."
SANITARY ACCOMMODATION ORDER.
As stated in last year's Report, the provisions of the Sanitary Accommodation
Order issued by the Secretary of State have been adopted by the
Sanitary Committee as the standard of sufficient and suitable accommodation
under Sections 37, 38, Public Health (London) Act, 1891.
A statement of these requirements has been printed on the reverse side of
the Notices (Intimation and Statutory) served under the sections referred to,
and this new form of Notice has proved effective in saving unnecessary
correspondence and discussion.
It is gratifying to find that this action of the Corporation has been quoted
by the Home Office for the example of other local authorities. A letter was
received in August last from Miss Deane, one of H.M. Inspectors of
Factories, in which she asked that copies of the Sanitary Accommodation
Notice issued by the Corporation might be forwarded for the use of the Factory
Department, as "it is considered desirable to call the attention of certain
"other Public Health Authorities to this excellent form of intimation, and to
"the standard which has been adopted by the Corporation following on the
"recent order of the Home Secretarv relating to this matter."
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
During 1903 nine cases occurred in which it was necessary to ask the
City Solicitor to take such action as he might consider expedient to enforce
orders to remedy sanitary defects found in workshops or workplaces. In
eight instances the required works were eventually executed without police
court proceedings, and one case is still under consideration.