Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington]
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heading (c) relates to house drainage; the heading (d) to cesspools
and privies and "other works of cleansing and of removing
and disposing of refuse." The answer returned was to the effect
that "no such Bye-laws have been made by the Vestry, for the
reason that the Vestry have no power to make such Bye-laws.
The power originally vested in the Metropolitan Board of
Works," it was added, to make Bye-laws for the purposes named,
"now vests in the London County Council only." The attention
of the Committee was drawn to your Vestry's letter of May 3rd,
covering the above-mentioned reports, and special attention was
directed to the paragraphs dealing with the subject of Bye-laws.
"One of the objects" of your Vestry's communication, it was
stated, "was to press upon the Council the desirability of the
exercise by it of the powers conferred by the 202nd section to
frame Bye-laws." The Committee are fully sensible of the
importance of this subject, for in their Annual Report for 1889-90
they expressly say that they "consider it to be of the greatest
importance that a complete and satisfactory code of sanitary
Bye-laws should be made they add, however, that they have
"met with great difficulties in formulating such Bye-laws, on
account of the limitations put upon them by the terms of the
sections," i.e., section 202 of the Metropolis Management Act above
mentioned, and section 23 of the Municipal Corporations Act,
1882. The 16th section of the Local Government Act, 1888,
gives the Council the power of making Bye-laws under that Act,
"for the good rule and government of the County or any specified
part thereof, and for the prevention and suppression of nuisances
not already punishable in a summary manner." The Committee
are giving careful consideration to the subject, and hope it will
be possible shortly to prepare Bye-laws which will meet with the
approval of the Council, "but under existing laws much doubt
if this will be practicable." Accordingly they have suggested the
incorporation in the Public Health London (Consolidation) Bill,
which Mr. Ritchie proposes to introduce in the present Session,
of a more unrestricted power to the Council to make Bye-laws
of this nature, " and should this suggestion become law, the