View report page

126
A measure for this purpose, entitled the "Public Health (Regulations as to
Food) Bill," was consequently introduced in the Commons by the President
of the Local Government Board in July, 1906, but was not then proceeded
with owing to the heavy pressure of Government business.
It was re-introduced in February, 1907, and received the Royal Assent on
the 28th August of that year. The Public Health (Regulations as to Food)
Act, 1907, became immediately operative, but it was not until the 12th
September, 1908, that the Local Government Board issued the Regulations
made by them for carrying out the provisions of the Act, together with a
Memorandum thereon. Two sets of Regulations were made, viz.: —
I.—"The Public Health (First Series : Unsound Food) Regulations,
1908," and
II.—"The Public Health (Foreign Meat) Regulations, 1908."
These Regulations deal, with few exceptions, with all the questions relating
to control of food supplies upon which representations have been made to the
Local Government Board from time to time by the Corporation.
I.—The Public Health (First Series; Unsound Food) Regulations, 1908.
These became operative on the 1st October, 1908.
They have been framed with the object of securing that articles of food
which are unsound, unwholesome, or unfit for human consumption, and which,
as part of the cargo of a ship, are brought to a place in this country either as
a place of destination or as a place of deposit for transmission to a place of
destination elsewhere in the United Kingdom, shall be dealt with at the port
of discharge. This procedure is necessary for the prevention of danger to the
public health from the consumption of unsound or unwholesome food.
Inspection of articles of food for this purpose has for many years been carried
out with satisfactory results by the Port Sanitary Authority in the Port of
London, and more recently also in the Port of Manchester. The experience
gained in these Ports has been utilised by the Board in preparing these
Regulations, which enable action to be taken with regard to unsound food in
all Port Sanitary districts and in all Municipal Boroughs and Urban and
Rural districts which include or abut on any part of a Customs Port, which
part is not within the jurisdiction of a Port Sanitary Authority.
It should be noted that the main feature of these Regulations is the exercise
of control over food stuffs from abroad at the port of entry, and that the
Local Government Board have not only power to make Regulations for this
purpose, but may designate the authority for their administration.
In those now under consideration the several Port Sanitary Authorities, in
conjunction with the Customs, are detailed for the purpose, but the Local
Government Board may direct by Order that a Port Sanitary Authority shall
act with the Local Sanitary Authority when they consider joint action to be
necessary.