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46
to abate. I think this should be a statutory and not an optional
duty on the officers of the Health Committee, and I have accordingly
drafted a section for the Council's Bill, similar to one which
occurs in the Public Health (London) Act, 1891.
As a point of some administrative importance, it should obtain
that the authentication of notices, as required by Section 266 of
the Public Health Act, 1875, when served by the Health Committee,
should extend and apply to the Medical Officer of Health.
The question of overcrowding has been brought to the notice
of the Health Department from time to time during the year.
There are two points with regard to this matter which require
amendment:—
(1). A definition of overcrowding is required.
(2). The Council's officers should have right of entry on
premises at all times, and not only during the day as at
present, when there is reason to believe that overcrowding exists.
Another cause of nuisance on the streets is meat exposed outside
any shop, from which blood is dripping. It is not within the
power of the local authority to take action in these cases, and this
omission requires rectification.
There is no class of structure which is more frequently a
cause of complaint to your Health Department than the public
house urinal, and power should be given to the Council to compel
owners of these to wash the same at least once a day and to keep
them at all times clean.
The ash-bin has for long been recognised as the most sanitary
receptacle for the storage of house refuse. It is easily emptied, it
is not large enough to allow its contents to remain until they are
actively decomposing, and it is easily replaced when worn out.
It has, however, no legal status and it is proposed that this be
amended in the Council's Bill of 1912. In the same connection it
is to be noted that a manure-pit is the only recognised place in
which the dung of any animal may be put. The same reason
which make an ashbin suitable for the storage of house refuse
suggest some similar structure as the best for manure.