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222
instructed in their duties. Nevertheless, at the end of a
few months matters were working smoothly and I think
efficiently.
But it will be recollected that on the 5th August, 1891
the Public Health (London) Act (which was to come into
operation on the 1st January, 1892) was passed. This was
an Act to consolidate and amend the Laws relating to
Public Health in London, and involved not only a considerable
extension of the powers and responsibilities of
Vestries, but in many respects important changes in procedure.
On the 20th of October, after having studied the
Act carefully, I laid before the Committee a report (see
Appendix), in which I explained, so far as I was able, its
chief requirements and provisions, with the object of preparing
the Vestry for their new duties and responsibilities,
and of making all the necessary official arrangements by
the 1st of January. This latter was a work of no inconsiderable
difficulty. But with the cordial co-operation of
the Vestry Clerk's Department, Dr. Priestly and myself had
all the new forms of notices, and books and such like things
ready by the time they were needed, and the Inspectors all
fully coached in the duties which were required of them.
Naturally all this tended in some degree to cause temporary
disarrangement of the sanitary work of the Vestry;
but I am glad to say that on the whole this disarrangement
has not been serious, and that the performance of the
sanitary duties had been steadily growing in efficiency. In
comparing, however, the work actually done in the last,
year with that done in the year immediately preceding, it
must be recollected that our five new Inspectors scarcely