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ruinous, or so far dilapidated as to be unfit for occupation, or is
prejudical to the inhabitants of the neighbourhood, and obtain an
order to take down, re-build, fence in, or put in good condition
such neglected building, and if necessary to do the work and
recover the cost. This will enable the Board to deal with a class of
property which the Sanitary Acts at present hardly embraces, and
will doubtless be productive of good results.
There are several Bills before Parliament which, if passed, will
have an important bearing upon matters pertaining to Parochial
duties.
Liability of Occupiers.
It had been decided that an outgoing occupier was liable for
the whole of the current rate for the period for which it was made
if not succeeded by an incoming tenant. By an Act just passed
the occupier, whether going out or coming in, is to be liable only
for the amount proportionate to the time of the occupation. This
will be of considerable importance where the rates are made halfyearly.
Bills of Sale.
Hitherto much difficulty has been experienced (perhaps more
in some other parishes than in Shoreditch) in recovering rates from
persons whose goods were covered by Bills of Sale. The measure
now before Parliament renders such Bills of Sale nugatory as
against rates and taxes, and indeed makes it of importance for the
grantee of a Bill of Sale to see that the rates are punctually paid,
or otherwise his security would be affected. This clause was
inserted at the instance of a number of experienced Parochial
Officers, and will doubtless pass this Session.
Electric Lighting.
Whether the application of Electricity will ever be extended
generally to public or private lighting can only be determined by
future experience, but it is obvious that a great impetus has been
given to it by the recent Exhibitions in Paris and the Crystal Palace,
and other causes, so much so that a host of projectors have came