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70
being vested in a central authority as may appear necessary to ensure
efficient action on the part of the Local Authority. In this case speedier
and cheaper remedies would be left to authories having full local knowledge
of affairs, and the principle of local self-government would have more
efficient play.
At present some of these functions still remain, as of old, in connection
with the Workhouse, and now that other more suitable authorities have
been established, your Committee are of opinion that the Poor Law
Guardians should, as fast as practicable, be divested of all functions other
than that of dealing with pauperism. Your Committee cannot but think
that the association of vaccination, for instance, with the administration
of the Poor Law has had a disastrous result, and it would appear that a
purely municipal matter like a civil marriage might be conducted with
greater public advantage in a municipal building than, as at present, in a
poor law establishment. The administration of the Registration Acts,
Vaccination Acts, and the various Statutes relating to Sanitary, Assessment,
and other matters not related to the Poor Law, might be transferred
from Boards of Guardians to the Local Sanitary Authority, without
difficulty, seeing that such an Authority now exists in every district. Your
Committee are convinced that a sound public policy dictates the separation
of Poor Law relief from the administration of Acts in no way cognate
thereto, and consider that the contemplated amendment of the law relating
to Local Government affords a convenient opportunity of pressing this
important subject on the attention of Her Majesty's Government.
A copy of the foregoing Report was sent to the Home
Secretary and the President of the Local Government Board,
and there the matter rested at the close of the year at Lady
Day.
REGISTERED HOUSES.
It is satisfactory to note that the tenement houses registered
under the sanitary regulations of the Yestry have not
occasioned any special trouble during the year.
ST. JAMES'S DWELLINGS.
This building came into occupation in the course of July,
and is now well let. Provision is made for the accommodation
of 31 tenants, there being 17 single rooms, and 14