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65
PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON) ACT, 1891.
By an Order of the Local Government Board, dated 30th June, 1898, it was
ordered that the Port of London Sanitary Authority should have the powers,
rights, duties, capacities, liabilities and obligations assigned by the Orders of
the Local Government Board, dated 25th March, 1892, and 29th December,
1894, as well in and over the whole of any wharf, and of the area within
the gates of any dock and the buildings thereon respectively, forming part of
or abutting upon the Port of London as in and over all waters within the
limits of the said Port.
The Order of the Local Government Board, dated 25th March. 1892, and
29th December, 1894, assigned to the Port Sanitary Authority various
sections of the Public Health Acts.
Inasmuch as the jurisdiction of the Port Sanitary Authority was, until
1898, only legally exercised over the waters within the docks, the sections
of the Public Health Act relating to water-closets and other sanitary
conveniences, factories, workshops and workplaces were not assigned.
In consequence of the Order of June 30th, 1898, many private residences,
offices, factories, workshops, workplaces, &c., and sanitary conveniences came
within the jurisdiction of this Authority, and received careful inspection by
your Sanitary Inspectors, with the result that many sanitary defects have
been found and remedied (see Tables XVII. and XVIII.).
In order to facilitate the work of your officers, it has, however, been found
necessary to apply to the Local Government Board for an extension of powers.
This was brought before your Committee, and after being carefully reported
on by Mr. Solicitor and myself, he has been instructed to apply to the Local
Government Board for the assignment of additional sections of the Public
Health Act, 1891.
The Bye-laws made by the Port Sanitary Authority under section 66,
sub-section 3, of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, relating to Infectious
Diseases, state that every Master or other person having charge of a vessel
arriving in the Port of London with any person on board suffering from a
dangerous infectious disease shall stop on arrival off the Custom House at
Gravesend, and forthwith send notice to the Medical Officer of the Port
Sanitary Authority stationed at Gravesend.
When this Bye-law was made, it was not apparently realised that vessels
arriving in the Port of London, that is, crossing a line drawn from Havengore
Creek in Essex, to Warden Point in the Isle of Sheppey, and 23 miles
below Gravesend, might be proceeding to the Port of Rochester or to any
intermediate place between that imaginary line and Gravesend.