View report page

After serious deliberation, the Sanitary Committee resolved
upon recommending to the Magistrates the propriety of refusing
licenses for cow-houses and slaughter-houses situated within a
distance of 50 feet of inhabited dwellings. The Magistrates
fully concurred in that decision, and gave notice to all proprietors
then present at the meeting that on the next annual licensing days
objections would be taken to cow-sheds and slaughter-houses
not located beyond the above-mentioned distance from inhabited
houses.
Recent Sanitary Legislation.
I would direct the attention of members of the Vestry to
two Bills likely to become Law during the present Session:
The Artizan and Labourers' Dwellings Bill of Mr. Torrens
which will enable Local Anthorities to purchase or pull down
unhealthy dwellings, and erect others fit for healthy habitation.
The other is the Metropolitan Buildings and Management Bill of
Mr. Tite, in which the rights of Property have been well
considered; but in which there appears to be no efficient
regulations for ventilation, for crowding of dwellings on the
smallest space, and for preventing the construction of privy,
water-closet and refuse receptacles from being nuisances and
injurious to health.
The Workshops Regulation Act, which is intended principally
to regulate the hours of labour for women, and to guarantee a
certain amount of education to young children, when employed
in labour, came partly into force on the 1st of January.
Power is given to local Authorities to inspect rooms and places
where manual labour is exercised by trades, and on premises not
included in any of the old Factory Acts, and Factory Extension
Acts.
On the first of January, also, there came into operation an
Act to amend the Merchant Shipping Act, and an Act to amend
the Laws relating to Vaccination. These are useful additions to
Sanitary legislation.
The Grand Junction Canal Company.
The water of the Canal Basin has been again let off, and
large quantities of putrid mud removed by barges from most of
the Wharves where it had accumulated through careless loading
of manure and slop. The Secretary has drawn the attention
of Wharfingers and persons in charge of boats and barges to
their liability in offending against the Company's bye-laws in
this respect.