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139
The first section of the same (1891) Act enacts that—
"(1) If the Secretary of State is satisfied that the provisions of the law relating
to public health, as to effluvia arising from any drain, privy, or
other nuisance, or with respect to cleanliness, ventilation, overcrowding,
or lime-washing, are not observed in any workshops, or class of
workshops (including workshops conducted on the system of not
employing any child, young person, or woman therein), or laundries,
he may, if he thinks fit, by order, authorise and direct an Inspector or
Inspectors under the principal Act to take, during such period as may
be mentioned in the order, such steps as appear necessary or proper for
enforcing the said provisions.
"(2) An Inspector authorised in pursuance of this section shall, for the purpose
of his duties, have the same powers with respect to workshops
and laundries to which this section applies, as he has under the
principal Act, as amended by this Act, with respect to factories, and
may for the same purpose take the like proceedings for punishing or
remedying any default in compliance with the said provisions of the
law relating to public health as might be taken by the Sanitary
Authority of the district in which the workshops or laundries arc
situate, and shall be entitled to recover from that Sanitary Authority
all such expenses in and about any proceedings in respect of such
workshops or laundries as he may incur, and are not recovered from
any other person, and have not been incurred in any unsuccessful proceedings."
For the reasons stated in a preceding paragraph, I do not think
that Sanitary Authorities need apprehend being troubled by the
Secretary of State, even should they by neglect of duty give occasion
for his interference.
Section 25, Sub-section (1) of the Public Health (London) Act,
1891, is important. It enacts that—
"Where, on the certificate of a Medical Officer of Health or Sanitary
Inspector, it appears to any Sanitary Authority that the lime-washing,
cleansing, or purifying of any workshop (other than a bakehouse)
is necessary for the health of the persons employed therein,
the Sanitary Authority shall serve notice in writing on the owner or
occupier of the workshop, to lime-wash, cleanse, or purify the workshop
within the time specified in the notice" (penalty for
default, a fine not exceeding five pounds, and a continuing fine not
exceeding ten shillings a day), "and the Sanitary Authority may
cause the workshop to be lime-washed, cleansed, or purified"
(and may recover the costs incurred).