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97
requisites, by declaring a marine store business to be an
"offensive business " within the meaning of the Act.
Shortly afterwards, at a time when I supposed the question
of principle had been decided adversely to my views, by the
expression of the Board's opinion, with which the Law and
Parliamentary Committee expressed their concurrence, it
came to my knowledge that in an appeal case, Passey (Appellant),
v. Oxford Local Board, (Respondents), Lord Chief
Justice Cockburn and Mr. Justice Lopes had decided that
the business of "bone and rag merchant" is an "offensive
trade," of the same nature with those specified in Section
112 of the Public Health Act 1875, which is based upon, and
substantially corresponds with, the 3rd Section of the Slaughter
Houses (Metropolis) Act 1874. In my last report for
1883, (No. 15, December 31, page 136), I gave an outline of
the above mentioned appeal case as reported in the Local
Government Chronicle, (January 10, 1880, page 27), together
with the terms of the judgment; and in view of the importance
of the matter, the decision of the judges, moreover,
being entirely accordant with my views, I recommended a
reference to the Law and Parliamentary Committee to
advise whether a further communication should not be
addressed to the Metropolitan Board of Works, requesting
them to again consider the subject with the above case
before them? The Committee in their report simply recommended
"that proceedings be taken as heretofore under the
Nuisances Removal Act, as occasion may arise, the Committee
not being prepared to advise that any further steps
be taken at present as to the control of such businesses."
The report was adopted and for the time, therefore, the
question has collapsed.
THE LICENSED SLAUGHTER HOUSES.
The licensed slaughter houses, which in 1874 were 56 in
number, are now only 24, viz., 15 in the district north of
Uxbridge Road, and 9 in the remainder of the parish south