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64
Metropolitan Board of Works to make "byelaws as to foundations
of houses with a view to the prevention of injury to
health." The clause (68) however, does not go nearly far enough,
and would have to be considerably extended to make it as useful as
it might be.
Sections 13 and 83 give increased powers and facilities for the
abatement of nuisances, and would prove useful. Under sections
24 and 28 the local authority would be able to take proceedings
for the removal of nuisances from offensive trades, &c., arising'
without the district. Section 44 makes an " inn " and a "shop" a
"public place," in respect of the exposure of a person suffering from
an infectious disease; while section 40 enables the local authority
to destroy infected clothing, bedding, &c., and to give compensation
for the same.
Sections 49 to 55 (omitting 54 which contains new provisions)
which have been much objected to, are a re-enactment of
clauses in the Diseases Prevention Act, 1855, and were intended to
apply, and have hitherto been applied only in the case of imported
diseases, such as Cholera. This fact might, with advantage, be
made clear. The clauses are capable of amendment. The powers
in respect of the interment of the dead and house to house visitation
should be extended.
The Bill, as a whole, it may be added, professes to do for the
Metropolis what the Public Health Act of 1875 did as regards
England generally, viz., consolidate and amend the sanitary law;
but it falls short of so ambitious and laudable a purpose. The
sanitary clauses of the Metropolis Management Acts, the Slaughterhouses
Act, and the Water Acts are altogether omitted. In other
words, it omits all reference to offensive trades, to sewerage and
drainage, and to water supply. The Bill re-enacts the provisions
of the Sanitary Act, 1866, with respect to mortuaries and disinfecting
chambers, but it gives no power to local authorities to
facilitate the acquisition of sites, although it enables the Local
Government Board to direct the local authority to provide and fit
up a mortuary. It re-enacts the lodging-house (35th) clause of the
same Act, without making provision for uniformity in the bye-laws,
so that the local authority of every district might carry out its own
views in respect of the proper allowance of cubic space in inhabited
rooms, &c., (37th). The Bill, moreover, would deprive sanitary
officials of all control over common lodging-houses, (94th). But, inasmuch
as consolidation and amendment of sanitary law are much
wanted and would prove very useful—while consolidation alone, if
comprehensive, would be a great boon to all who are engaged in
the sanitary work of the Metropolis ; it is to be hoped that in the
next session of Parliament a measure divested of the objectionable
features of the present Bill will be introduced to do what this Bill
professes to, but does not accomplish.