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110
SANITARY ADMINISTRATION: THE VIEWS OF
THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT BOARD.
The need for improvement in Sanitary Legislation and
in Sanitary Administration has not escaped the attention of
the President of the Local Government Board, who, in the
House of Commons, in March, made a statement indicating the
views and intentions of the Government in regard to these
matters, especially in connection with the Housing of the
Labouring Classes. Premising that it was "not so much legislation
that was wanted as a reform of administration," Mr.
Ritchie nevertheless admitted that "much still remained to be
done, in the way of legislation, to give effect to the Report of the
Royal Commission of 1885, by means of the consolidation and
amendment of the Sanitary Acts." He hoped, but was unable,
to bring in a Bill in the then current Session, which presumably
would have been drawn on the lines of measures introduced by
Mr. Sclater-Booth in 1877, and by Lord Salisbury in 1885,
under the title Public Health (Metropolis) Bill. The first
measure was opposed by the sanitary authorities, and was withdrawn
; the second was brought in too late in the Session to be
passed. Your Vestry, upon my recommendation, requested
Lord Salisbury to re-introduce the Bill, in the Session of 1887.
In acknowledging the communication his lordship expressed fear
that "the chances of any such measure becoming law were then
very remote." The chances have much improved, and it is
probable that the Consolidation Bill, which is to be introduced in
the present Session, will become law.* Your Vestry's Law and
Parliamentary Committee reported on the 1885 measure as being
" mainly a Consolidation Bill, but with a few amendments recommended
by the Royal Commission on the Housing of the Working
* It may be mentioned that Mr. Ritchie forwarded the draft of his proposed
Consolidation Bill to the sanitary authorities and others, inviting suggestions
thereon. The Bill had not been introduced when this report was passing
through the press (in June).