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117
The Committee concur, in regard to the necessity, for amendment
of the law in relation to the Water Supply question ;
and with reference to the Dairies, Cowsheds and Milkshops
Order, and to the Regulations framed under the Slaughterhouses
Act, they refer to the fact that the Vestry have, on various
occasions, fully endorsed the views of the Medical Officer,
and have urged other Sanitary Authorities to support their efforts
to obtain amendment of the law.
After dealing with " Recommendations" contained in the
Surveyor's Report, which treated of " matters which can only
indirectly be deemed of a sanitary nature, viz., by tending to
prevent the creation of nuisances," the Committee, in " supplementary
" observations, refer to the need for legislative enactment
to provide for " notice to be given to the Sanitary Authority
when it is intended to alter the drainage of an existing house 01*
building," They would be glad to see some such machinery, for
adapting the law to the requirements of the times, available in
London, as that contained in the Public Health Act, 1875 ;
enabling the Sanitary Authority to make and alter bye-laws for
carrying out necessary provisions in regard to construction and
drainage of houses. The Committeee refer to the need of a
" Consolidating Act bringing to a focus the scattered enactments
on sanitary and administrative matters," and "note with satisfaction
that such a codification, so far as Sanitary and Nuisances
Removal Acts are concerned, was contemplated by the Public
Health (Metropolis) Bill, 1885, introduced in August, 1885, by
the then Prime Minister, Lord Salisbury." They observe that,
as the said Bill " will finally clear the Statute Book of 14
statutes, all of which are already repealed as regards the rest of
England, it cannot fail to prove very useful to sanitary authorities
and officials alike, should it ultimately become law." The
Committee conclude their report with a reference to the
necessity for "a similar measure dealing with the Metropolis
Management and Building Acts."