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would be to require the medical attendant to forward the certificate,
for which he should receive a fee, and I have no doubt that this is
the plan which will be ultimately adopted, even if it should be
thought more prudent, in the first going-off, to throw that responsibility
on the householder, or head of family, making the doctor
simply responsible for giving a certificate, the same as in respect of
a death, in which case, however, no fee is payable.
Should the Bills be referred to a Select Committee it may be
expected that the Committee will either find the preamble not
proven, or that they will recommend the introduction by the Government
of a Public Bill, which is in all respects to be preferred.
The action taken by your Vestry last year in calling a Conference
of the Sanitary Authorities of the metropolis to consider the question,
and the practical unanimity of those authorities in favour of the
principle of notification will, in any case, have materially conduced
to the final success of the long-continued efforts by sanitarians
to bring about much-needed legislation.
The foregoing remarks had been printed before I became aware
of the action taken by the House with reference to the local Bills,
providing for "notification," which have been referred to a Select
Committee upon the following resolution moved by the Home
Secretary during the current Session:—
"Police or Sanitary Regulations.—That the Committee of Selection do
appoint a Committee, not exceeding seven in number, to consider and
report on any provisions in private Bills promoted by Municipal and other
Local Authorities, by which it is proposed to create powers relating to
Police or Sanitary Regulations which deviate from, or are in extension of,
or repugnant to the general Law, and that it be an instruction to such
Committee to make a Special Report to this House in respect of any such
provisions as aforesaid, as the Committee may sanction, together with the
reasons on which the grant of such powers is recommended, and the
recent precedents applicable to the case."
The Right Hon. Mr. Sclater-Booth, ex-President of the Local
Government Board, is the Chairman of the Committee, which by
subsequent order of the House has "power to send for persons,
papers and records." At the request of the Committee, I presume,
the Local Government Board have addressed to the several Sanitary
Authorities of towns, &c., where the Local Acts are in force, a
request for information, Whether the authorities are satisfied with