The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-09-19 00:00:00

CANAL AND GIPSY CHILDREN.

Mr. George Smith, of Coalville, draws attention to
the ninth clause of the Housing of the " Working
Classes Act," relating to gipsy and van children and
their parents. "The clause will, if properly carried
out," says Mr. Smith, "accomplish part of my pro.
gramme for improving the condition of the van and
gipsy children and adults, relating to which I have
gien a mass of evidence before two select corn-
mi7tees, to wliom my Canal Bills of 1883 and 1884
were referred—in which there was a clause dealing
with the gipsies and van dwellers—one Royal Com-
mission, my books, and in other ways, as you know,
during the last eight years. My 'Movable Dwellings
which aims at securing the education of the
gipsy and van children, got no farther than the
second reading last session, owing to Biggar's
"

The following is the clause referred to: (1) A tent,
van, shed, or similar structure used for human habita-
tion, which is in sueh a state as to be a nuisance or
injurious to health, or which is so over-crowded as to
be injurious to the health of the inmates, whether or
not members of the same family, shall be deemed to
be a nuisance within the meaning of section 91 of the
Public Health Act, 1875; and the provisions of that
Act shall apply accordingly. (2) A sanitary authority
may make bye-laws for promoting cleanliness in, and
the habitable condition of tents, vans, sheds, and
similar structures used for human habitation, and for
preventing the spread of infectious disease by the
persons inhabiting the same, and generally for the
prevention of nuisances in connection with the same.
(3) Where any person duly authorised by a sanitary
authority or by a justice of the peace has reasonable
cause to suppose either that there is any contraven-
tion of the provisions of this Act or any bye-law
made under this Act in any tent, van, shed, or similar
structure used for human habitation, or that there
is in any such tent, van, shed, or structure any person
suffering from a dangerous infectious disorder, he
may, on producing (if demanded) either a copy
of his authorisation purporting to be certified
by the clerk or a member of the sanitary authority,
or some other sufficient evidence of his being autho-
rised as aforesaid, enter by day such tent, van, shed,
or structure, and examine the same and every part
thereof in order to ascertain whether in such tent,
van, shed, or structure, there is any contravention of
any such bye-law, or a person suffering from a dan-
gerous infectious disorder. (4.) For the purpose of
this section " day " means the period between six
o'clock in the morning and the succeeding nine o'clock
in the evening. (5.) If such person is obstructed in
the performance of his duty under this section, the
person so obstructing shall be liable, on summary
conviction, to a fine not exceeding 40s. (6.) This
section shall apply to the metropolis, with the substi-
tution of section 19 of the Sanitary Act, 1866, for
section 91 of the Public Health Act, 1875, and of
nuisance authority, under the Nuisance Removal Acts,
for sanitary authority. (7.) Nothing in this section
shall apply to any tent, van, shed, or structure, erected
or used by any portion of her Majesty's military or
naval forces.

" Tnr, TERRIBLE CrirLD."-13cene: A railway car-
riage. Personages: The mother; the child.—The
child: What's making this noise ?—The mother:
The carriages, dear.—Child : Why P—Mother : Be-
cause they're moving.—Child: How ?—Mother: It's
the engine drawing them.—Child: What engine ?
Mother: The one in front of the train ?—Child:
Why's it in front of the traiii P—Mother To draw
the train.—Child: Whig train ?—Mother: The one
we're in.—Child: Why does the engine draw the
train P—Mother : Because the driver makes it.—
Child: What driver ?—Mother: The one on the
locomotive.—Child : What locomotive ?—Mother:
The one in front of the train! I've just told you.—
Child: Told me what P--Mother: Hold your tongue!
You worry me !---Child: Why de I worry you ?
Mother : Because you ask too many questions.—
Child: What questions ?—Mother: Oh, good Heavens!
No wonder so many men won't marry I—.Psnch.