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171
himself, sufficed to convince the Government that an error had been
committed in depriving the "Nuisance Authority" of the power
to exercise sanitary supervision over the bakehouses; and so it
came to pass that in the last days of the Session of 1883, and by
the enactment of the "Factory and Workshop Amendment Act,"
the legislation of 1878 was modified, the Vestries and District
Boards being restored to their former position, and they are now
the "Local Authority," so far as relates to cleanliness, ventilation,
overcrowding, and other sanitary conditions of bakehouses, with
power to enforce Sections 3, 33, 34 and 35 of the "Factory and
Workshop Act, 1878." The recommendations of your Vestry
went considerably beyond the point reached by the new Act and were
in substantial agreement with the views set out in my annual report
for 1881, in which I said—
"What really is required is a proper 'Bakehouse Regulation Act,' providing
for the licensing of bakehouses, and conferring on Sanitary Authorities
the power, which they should be obliged to exercise, of regulating the
trade by bye-laws, uniform for the Metropolis, dealing with—
(1) The position and construction, including lighting and
ventilation of bakehouses.
(2) The periodical cleansing of bakehouses; and
(3) The materials and utensils employed in the manufacture of
bread."
As to the desirability of a measure embodying the above views,
there is now a general consensus of agreement, but it was felt to
be useless to press for any alteration in the Bill of 1883, for the
simple reason that owing to the lateness of the period at which the
Bill was introduced, it could not be passed into law, excepting in
its original form. I took the opportunity, nevertheless, of drawing
the attention of the Local Government Board to the imperfections
of the Bill, and it is to be hoped that at a convenient season a more
complete and satisfactory measure may be introduced. The
operative bakers are in complete accord with us as to the necessity
for thorough supervision of bakehouses by the Sanitaiy Authority.
In this parish your Vestry's control over the bakehouses was never
wholly lost, as, on the repeal of the Act of 1863, the sanitary
inspectors had, in accordance with my instructions, regularly
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