View report page

117
mischief. It should not be beyond the power of the London
County Council to adopt some system of having regular and
orderly games.
Report of the royal commission on the
Poor law.
57. This report, as far as it dealt with Public Health, was
summarised and commented on by your Medical Officer of
Health (see Council's Minutes, page 713), and the Council
resolved:—
" That the Government be asked to arrange for early legislation
to reform the abuses of the Poor Law pointed
out by both majority and minority reports, and more
especially to provide for immediate medical treatment
for all persons requiring and unable to pay for it."
The Children Act.
58. This Act, which came into force at the beginning of
1909, is an important contribution to Public Health legislation.
By making neglect to provide adequate food, clothing, medical
aid, or lodging, a penal offence, the law has laid down emphatically
the responsibility of the parents or other persons for
the proper nurture and medical care of children. The provisions,
too, with regard to exclusion of children from Public Houses,
and the penalty for giving intoxicating liquor to a child, must
be productive of the very best results. Unfortunately the
Borough Councils have no power to enforce the Act, though, as
regards the provision of medical attendance, they are the
Authority which has the best means of knowing when this has
been neglected. The enforcement of the Act depends primarily
upon the police, but it appears that the police are leaving it to
h 2