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28
Sanitary Legislation in 1874.
The Parliamentary Session of 1874 has been rich
in measures of sanitary import. Much has been
accomplished, and more stands over for next Session.
The following Acts passed into law:—
1.— Sanitary Laws Amendment Act, to amend and
extend the Public Health Act of 1872, contains 59
clauses, (many referring to the Metropolis,) giving
increased powers to the sanitary authority in making
Bye-Laws, to be confirmed by the Local Government
Board.
2.— The Registration Act Amendment is intended
to remedy defects in the registration of births and
deaths. A good registration act materially affects
the sanitary administration of the Country, which is
now rendered more essential since the Public Health
Act of 1872 created officers of health, whose duties
will be aided by more complete records. The Statistical
Society, and the Standing Public Health Committee of
the Social Science Association, reviewed this Bill, and
made several important recommendations. It was
thought that a period of 42 days is too long to elapse
for an informant to give notice after a birth, and also
with regard to a death, the proposal to allow a maximum
of one month to complete the registration they believed
to seriously frustrate the collection of returns for
sanitary statistics. There has in this country never
been any proper safe-guard against the burial of liveborn
children as still-born; under the old law stillborn
children could be buried without the knowledge