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"liable to a penalty not exceeding five pounds, and to a further
"penalty not exceeding five pounds for every day on which such
"failure shall continue after conviction. Provided that no penalty
"shall be inflicted under this section if the Court are of opinion
"that the failure was in consequence of circumstances beyond the
"control of the Corporation."
The Port Sanitary Committee decided to oppose the passing of this Bill,
on the grounds that if it became law, it would legalise the discharge of
practically crude sewage into the Thames estuary.
Sir Ralph Littler, C.B., K.C., and Mr. Lewis Coward, K.C., appeared as
Counsel for the Port Sanitary Authority in opposition to the Bill.
Your Medical Officer of Health attended before a Select Committee of the
House of Lords, and gave evidence on behalf of the Corporation.
Sir Ralph Littler, in the course of his Address, was asked by Counsel for
the promoters of the Bill why the Port Sanitary Committee did not interfere
with the London County Council's sewers, and he gave the answer that—
"It is because we cannot, simply because they have got legalised what
"is wanted to be legalised lower down. That is exactly the mischief
"that we want to prevent here. We wish we could deal with them. If
"we could, we should have a very different condition of river below the
"outfall of the London County Council sewers from that which exists
"to-day."
Petitions against the Bill were lodged by the
Essex County Council,
Leigh-on-Sea Urban District Council,
The Conservators of the River Thames,
Mr. Alfred James Hobart, the Owner of a Shellfish Fishery in
Hadleigh Bay,
The Port of London Sanitary Authority,
The Shoeburyness Urban District Council.
Strenuous opposition was offered by the
Essex County Council,
Mr. Hobart,
The Shoeburyness Urban District Council,
and after hearing a number of witnesses both for and against the Bill, and
hearing the addresses of the learned Counsel, the Chairman gave his decision
"that the Committee consider that the preamble has not been proved,
"and they suggest that a more complete scheme should be brought
"before Parliament at some future date."