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105
SANITARY LEGISLATION, 1890.
The season of 1890 was prolific in sanitary legislation. As a result,
the responsibility thrown upon the officers of your Sanitary Department
has become correspondingly greater and more exacting. I shall
merely in this report indicate the five statutes, to the precise working of
which it will be my duty hereafter to direct your attention in detail.
The Sanitary Committee have been fully informed of all the changes
indicated, and have devoted much time and attention to their consideration.
I. Customs and Inland Revenue Act (53 and 54 Vic. cap. 8).—
By a section of this Act (section 26) certain money advantages are
offered to the owners of artizans dwellings, provided efficient sanitary
appliances are adopted. The Act has occasioned a great deal of extra
labour to the Department, the Medical Officer of Health in this
particular having to determine how far due provisions have been
made.
II. The Housing of the Working Classes Act (53 and 54 Vic.,
cap. 16) is by far the most important of the Acts that were passed in
1890. It is too early to pass a judgment on so complicated a
piece of legislation, repealing amongst others (entirely or in part),
Cross's Act, Torren's Act, with the amendments, the Labouring Classes
Dwelling Act (1851, 1866, 1877), and the Housing of the Working
Classes Act (1885). The Act abolishes the duties of the surveyor
which were defined under Torren's Act. It gives power to the County
Health Officer to report an unhealthy area (Part 1., section 5). A
dwelling house which appears to the Medical Officer of Health to be
dangerous or injurious to health may be closed, by order of the
Magistrate, and provided the private opinion of the Magistrate coincides
with that of the Health Officer ; houses may be demolished, and
obstructive buildings (not in themselves being unhealthy) dealt with
the Act providing for proper compensation in such cases to owners.
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