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39
Dairies and Milkshops in the Borough.
At the beginning of 1908, there were 1,037 premises registered for the sale of
milk. A large number, undoubtedly, were quite unsuitable to store such a commodity
as milk. I have on many occasions called the attention of the Borough
Council to the absurd position in which the Public Health Authorities were
placed under the Dairies and Cowsheds Orders. Anyone could apply to have
his premises registered, and the Local Authorities had no power to refuse
registration, even if the premises were very dirty, and quite unsuitable in every
way. The only remedy—if it was a remedy at all—was to take proceedings
against the occupier whenever the milk receptacles were discovered to be in
a dirty condition. The Borough Council, on two or three occasions, asked the
London County Council to introduce legislation to give power to Borough Councils
to refuse registration, if the premises were in their opinion considered to be
unsuitable.
The London County Council obtained these powers by the General Powers
Act, 1908, which came into force on August 1st.
By this Act," notwithstanding anything contained in the Dairies, Cowsheds
and Milkshops Order of 1885, or in any subsequent order, any Sanitary Authority
may remove from the register kept by them of persons from time to time
carrying on in their district the trade of cowkeepers, dairyman or purveyors of
milk, or may refuse to enter upon such register, the name of any person carrying
on, or proposing to carry on, the trade of a dairyman, or purveyor of milk upon
premises, which are in the opinion of such Sanitary Authority for any reason
unsuitable for the sale of milk therein.
Provided that for the purposes of this section, premises shall not be deemed
unsuitable for the sale of milk therein on any ground inconsistent with the
provisions or requirements of any order or regulation made under any enactments
for the time being in force and applicable to such premises."
Any person who thinks himself aggrieved by the decision of the Sanitary
Authority may appeal within 21 days from the date of such decision to a Court
of Summary jurisdiction.
The Metropolitan Branch of the Society of Medical Officers of Health fully
considered the matter contained in the above section with a view of formulating
the conditions which would justify a Local Authority in refusing to register
premises for the sale or storage of milk, or in removing such premises from the
register, in order that the procedure in the Metropolis may be as uniform as
possible.