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93
principally under the Nuisances Removal Acts, against 104
and 78 in the two preceding years. Orders were made by the
Magistrates in nearly every instance for giving effect to the
Notices previously served on the defendant persons, upon
whom, as the law stands, no further penalty could be inflicted
than payment of costs to the extent of one or two shillings
only, however serious or long continued the nuisance.
Under the provisions of Section 96 of the Public Health Act,
1875, which does not apply to the Metropolis, the Justices
have power by their Order to inflict a penalty not exceeding
five pounds, on the person on whom the Order is made, together
with all costs. It is to be desired that the same power
should be conferred on Courts of Summary Jurisdiction in
London. At present they can punish for contempt of Court
only, viz.: for disobedience of the order of the Court. In
three cases penalties were inflicted for this offence; but the
amount was paid in one case only. Probably if there were
power to inflict penalties for offences under the Nuisances
Removal Acts, disregard of the Local Authority's notices,
which implies continuance of nuisance with consequent
injury to health, to say nothing of the trouble and loss of
time imposed upon officers, would be of less frequent occurrence.
That the cases are proper to be brought before the
Justices would appear from the fact that dismissal of a
summons is a very rare occurrence. Orders were made as
follows:—To lay on water to premises, 5; for the provision of
new, or the repair of existing, cisterns, 13; for the abolition
of waste-pipes in connexion with drains, 4; for the repair of
defective fittings to water closets and supply of water to same,
30; for the construction, or amendment, including trapping
and ventilation of drains, sinks, &c., 33; for the repair of defective
rain water pipes, 3; for the provision of new, or repair
of old, dustbins, 10; for the cleansing and reparation of dirty,
unwholesome, and dilapidated houses, &c., 61, &c. Summonses
have regard, usually, to "Premises in such a state as to
be a nuisance or injurious to health," 82 being of this