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103
The Bill, I may mention, is drawn in the terms of the
"Model Clauses," which are set out as Appendices Nos. 2 and 3
to the Special Report of the Select Committee of 1887, dealing
respectively with "Notification of Disease," and "Provisions
as to Dealing with Infectious Disease." Your Vestry's Law and
Parliamentary Committee considered the clause with reference to
Notification on the 6th January last, and reported their opinion
that "the provisions are admirably adapted for, and should be
made applicable to the Metropolis." The Committee moreover
"considered the reference by Vestry as to the advisability of
organizing a deputation to the Local Government Board on the
subject" of a Bill, and expressed the opinion that "at
the present time such a deputation would be premature."
The Report of the Committee was adopted. Should
the Bill be passed, the Local Government Board may
declare its provisions to be in force in the whole or any
part of the district of a local authority, "on the application of
any local authority, or of persons rated to the relief of the
poor, the assessments of whose hereditaments amount at least
to one-tenth of the net rateable value of the district of such
authority—after local inquiry by Order, to be published in such
manner as the Local Government Board may direct."
As usual the House has ordered "That the Committee of
Selection do appoint a Committee, to whom shall be referred all
Private Bills promoted by Municipal and other Local Authorities,
by which it is proposed to create powers relating to Police
and Sanitary Regulations which deviate from, or are in extension
of, or are repugnant to the General Law."
Mr. Hastings has been elected Chairman of the Committee.
But I presume that the Bill will not be referred to this Committee,
as it cannot be described as a Private Bill, nor is it
promoted by Municipal or other Local Authorities. The practically
important questions are Whether the Bill has been introduced,
as Mr. Francis Powell said it would be, "with the
sanction and under the co-operation of the Government"? and,
Whether it will be made applicable, if passed, to the Metropolis?