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Following upon these Conferences the Council, at the instance
of the Committee, passed a resolution intended as an encouragment
to Local Authorities to initiate reconstruction schemes
for small insanitary areas, under Part 2 of the Act, pledging
itself to contribute to such schemes when dealing satisfactorily
with such areas, and when the Council is satisfied of the need of
assistance. But no further Conference has been held, as suggested
in the final resolution adopted at Paddington Vestry Hall.
FACTORY AND WORKSHOP BILLS.
No fewer than six Bills were brought before Parliament in the
early part of the current Session, designed to amend and extend
(but unfortunately, without consolidating) the existing law on the
subject of Factories and Workshops; two in the House of Lords
and four in the Commons. One only needs mention here—a
measure introduced by the Home Secretary, and entitled A Bill
to Amend the Law relating to Factories and Workshops. The
several Bills were referred to a Committee, and such provisions of
private members' Bills as may be approved, will be incorporated in
the Government measure, which does not contain many provisions
affecting this Parish. The Bill contained one provision, in section
19, for the practical abolition of the office of Certifying Surgeon,
which met with general opposition, and was not adopted. There
are a few sanitary provisions. Thus: Section 2 enables the
Factory Inspector to take proceedings for punishing or remedying
sanitary defects at the cost of the Sanitary Authority, should the
said Authority neglect to take proceedings after receiving a notice
from the Inspector. Section 3 confers power for enforcement by
the Sanitary Authority of sanitary provisions as to workshops, in
relation to cleanliness, ventilation, overcrowding, &c., and gives to
a Sanitary Authority, and their officers, powers of entry, inspection,
and taking legal proceedings, or otherwise, the same as an Inspector
under the principal Act. Section 4 (1) enacts that the workshop
shall be kept free from effluvia arising from any drain, privy, or
other nuisance; and (2) enables the Sanitary Authority to give