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101
The plan answered admirably, but after ten months of
practically unqualified success, there is reason to fear that it may
shortly be discontinued. The present position of the matter
cannot be explained without reference to the past proceedings of the
Board, and of the Local Authorities, with respect to the treatment
of non-pauper cases, and first of all to the circumstances which
gave rise to the passing of Section 15 of the Poor Law Act, 1879.
The Poor Law Act, 1879.—In my Annual Report for 1878-9,
page 24, I referred to the proceedings of a Conference of Sanitary
Authorities held at the Cannon Street Hotel with the object of
considering what provision should be made for Hospital accommodation
for "non-pauper" cases of infectious disease, and to the
deputation which waited on the President of the Local Government
Board (March, 1879), to submit the resolutions arrived at
by the Conference. Mr. W. A. Lindsay, a member of your Vestry,
was chosen by the delegates to give expression to their views, the
main object of the Conference, as it ultimately took shape, having
been to induce the Government to obtain Parliamentary powers to
enable Local Sanitary Authorities, and the Managers of the Asylums
Board, to enter into contracts for the reception and treatment of
non-pauper cases of infectious disease in the Hospitals under the
control of the Managers. The President intimated his willingness
to do this, and in the course of the Session he introduced the
measure known as the Poor Law Act, 1879, which enables the
Managers, with the approval of the Local Government Board, to
contract with any Vestry in the Metropolis, (as the Local Authority
acting in the execution of the Nuisances Removal Act, 1855, &c.),
for the reception and maintenance in the Hospitals of the Managers,
of any person suffering from any dangerous infectious disorder
within the district of any such Vestry. Any person admitted at a
Hospital by virtue of any such contract, under the 15th Section of
the Act, is deemed to be mamtained in such Hospital by the
Vestry with which the contract is made, and any expenses
incurred by the Vestry for the maintenance of any person under
the section, are deemed to be due from such person to the Local
Authority and may be recovered from him or his representatives,