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ten shillings a day during continuance of disobedience, would
be adequate if duly enforced; but, speaking in regard to the
Metropolis, I should think of more importance than the proposed
additional fine, a power possessed by Courts of Summary
Jurisdiction, outside London, under the Public Health Act,
to inflict a penalty not exceeding five pounds, upon the person
liable for the creation of a nuisance.
Clause 3 imposes an obligation on Vestries and District
Boards to make bye-laws respecting lodging houses under
section 35 of the Sanitary Act, 1866. Bye-laws have now
been made in all, or nearly all, parishes and districts in London.
To what extent they are carried out is another question.
Clause 4 relates to inspection of Cellar Dwellings (underground
rooms) in the Metropolis, and proposes to enable a
Vestry to authorise their officers to inspect such places, and to
have powers of entry the same as District Surveyors. The
Public Health (Metropolis) Bill brought in by the Marquis of
Salisbury, in the Session of 1885, proposed to transfer the
powers of the District Surveyor in regard to cellar dwellings,
&c., to the Inspector of Nuisances.
Clause 5, referring to section seven of the Housing of the
Working Classes Act, 1885—which makes it the duty of a local
authority to put in force their powers to secure a proper
sanitary condition of all premises within their district—and to
the fact that "there is no provision in that Act for enforcing
the said enactment," would confer power on the Local Government
Board (after local enquiry) to dissolve the defaulting local
authority and to direct a fresh election of members, at which
members of the dissolved authority would be ineligible, unless,
in the case of any particular person or persons, the Board
should otherwise direct. Such a power, if ever conferred, will
certainly not be put in motion, as here proposed, "on a written
representation to the Board, signed by (at least) six ratepayers,
to the effect that the local authority have failed to do their
duty," etc.