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111
PUBLIC HEALTH LEGISLATION IN 1891.
My observations under this heading may fitly commence
with reference to a "Special Report on Sanitary, Nuisances
Removal, and other cognate Acts," by the Law and Parliamentary
Committee, which was the outcome of an enquiry, on
reference by your Vestry, "Whether the provisions of the
various Acts have been and are being enforced by the Vestry
as fully as the circumstances of the Parish demand ?" If not,
they were to "advise as to the steps it is desirable to take for
their better enforcement; and also, whether any amendment
of the law may appear necessary." The first step taken by the
Committee was to obtain reports from the Surveyor and the
Medical Officer of Health, "with respect to any special matters
which in their judgment have not hitherto received, but which
should receive, the attention of the Vestry." These reports,
in the result, formed the basis of the Committee's enquiry and
report, and with that report, which was unanimously adopted
by your Vestry, were published and widely circulated. It will
suffice, therefore, to say, for my own part in the matter, that
attention was frankly called to all of the points which appeared
to me to require consideration, whether regard be had to
failure to exercise existing powers or to the need for additional
powers. The Committee expressed their views on each point
raised, and made valuable suggestions in regard to "better
enforcement" of the law, and to the need for "amendment of
the law." Their conclusions, however, were reassuring, for
they found that the "Acts referred to are, upon the whole,
satisfactorily administered in Kensington," and that the Acts
themselves are also fairly sufficient, defect taking the form
rather of difficulty in putting the law into speedy operation,
than in the terms of the law itself.
My report, dated March 18th, 1885, dealt with the
following subjects:—1. The Housing of the working classes.
2. Underground rooms. 3. Construction of drains. 4. Inspection
of drains, &c. 5. Power of Vestry to cause work to