The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-08-28 00:00:00

LOCAL BOARD OF HF.ALTB.

_
A meeting of the Town Council as a Local Board
of Health took place yeaterdey. There were
present, the Mayor (Dr. Aldridge), Alderman
Galpin, Councillors Bishop, Look, Vernon, Bennett,
Frond, Gregory, and Newish. The purpose of the
meeting was to consider whether the Sanitary Act,
1566, should be adopted in this borough.
The Tows CLUM explained the provisions of the
Act, sad the manner in which it would have
to be carried out, if adopted, in this borough.
The first part of the Act n an amendment of
the Sewage Ctilixation Act, Ib6S, sod he did
not think that applied to their circumstances.
The second part is an amendment of the Nuisances
Removal Ante, and its carrying into effect is vested
in the Board of Health, where the Public Health
Act is in force, as here, and all (apemen; Manned by
the local authority are payable out of the general
district rates. Section 19 adds to the list of legal
nuisanese—(l) any house or part of • house so over-
crowded ise to be dangerous to the health of the
trustee; (2) any dirty, ill-vertilated or over-
crowded factory or workshop; (1) any fireplace
or furnace not consuming its own smoke so
far is is practinabla The Act against
smoke is already in effect in this borough.
Section 20 imposes upon the nuisance authority the
duty of inspecting, by itself or its officers, its dis-
trict from time to time, with the view to the abate-
ment of nuisances. The Board must lay down a
system of district visiting to asoertain what neasanom
exist, and take steps for requiring their abatement,
or for doing the necessary work themselves. Section
22 gives power to the nuisances authority to order
any owner or occupier to cleanse and disinfect bra
house or anything in it, upon the oertificat• of any
legally qualified medical practitioner that such cleans-
ing and disinfecting would tend to prevent
or check infections and contagious
under a penalty of 10s. a day for disobedience; and
allows the nunisnoe authority, in cane of default, to
do the work itself and recover the expenses from the
owner or occupier. Where, in Me opinion of the
nuns:nee authority, the owner or occupier is unable,
from poverty or otherwise, to clews and disinfeut
his house, it may, at its own expense, and with the
consent of the owner or occupier, do the work
itself.
The MAYOR said that he had visited with his
assistant, • dal, qualified practitioner, a number of
houses in Fordington, and he presented the following
certificate from his amistant, in scoordancte with the
22nd motion :—I hereby certify that it is absolutely
mammary the following houses should be at own
cleansed (whitewashed and painted) reo as to prevent
or check the spread of infectious or oontagious
disease, viz., the houses at the besement of Holloway
row, fronting the Mill stream, in the occupation of
Immo Bent., Charles White, Thomas Boyer, John
Williams, Herbert Curtis, and Joseph Etarthedrea....
In answer to Mr. Gregory the Town Clerk said it
was in the discretion of the Board to say what time
should be allowed for the owners and occupiers to
Mauna the houses, and if it was not done when re-
quired, the Board could do it, and recover the cost in
a summary manner. -

After some oonversation it was resolved, on the
motion of Alderman GALIPIN, to adopt the Aot in
this borough, and to give notice forthwith to the
owners of the housed mentioned in the certificate to
cleanse the said houses, and also to publish an hand•
bill calling on the inhabitants to comply with the
Act by abating any OUnlanOaa that may exist on their
premises, setting forth the penalty of non-compliance
as by the 22nd notion, and stating that it would be
enforced.
Tbe MaYon then celled attention to the nuisanole
frequently brought to their notios arising from
stables, slaughter-houses, he., through manure and
other refuse not being removed often enough, and
suggested that public attention should be drawn to
the 53rd section, which exposes to a penalty 20a.
per day any person who does not at proper intervals,
after due 1306011, MOOTe his manure and Other refine
matter from mews, stables, or other premium.
In answer to a question, the horst-Pon mid he
visited the slaughter-houses every week, and they
were cleansed every time after killing had been
dons.

—Both the Mayor and the Town Clark mentiowed
that abinghter-houses had recently been in a very
offensive state.

it was agreed to require such periodical removal of
minors and other refuse as shall prevent any nuisance
arising therefrom.
The MAYOR spoke of the overcrowding of dwell-
ings that prevails in Fordington and other parts of
the borough, to which he attributed a
deal of the disease which there obtains, anirst
proposed that application be made to the Secretary
of State to declare that the 35th section should be
enforced within this borough. The said 35th section
empowers the nuisance authority in certain CMOS to
make regulations for (1) limiting the number of
persons who may occupy a house or part of • house
which is let in lodging.; (2) the registration of such
houses; (3) inspecting and cleansing such bonsai;
(4) providing privies and other appliances and means
of °Mauling= for such houses, and for cleansing and
ventilating the common passages and staircases ; (5)
cleansing and limewhiting- such premises.
Mr. Vsaliox was desirous that the overcrowding
should be prevented, and said he wished the gentle-
men in the country would take back the poor people
they had mot into Fordingtou.
Mr. FLOOD remarked that wee the great evil.
Mr. Lona said there was a Bill introduced into
Parliament last grim te enable Town Console to
purchase land and build homes, borrowing money for
the wee to be repaid in • number of years, and
charging it on the rates, That would have been a
very metal measure, but it was withdrawn. The
4ilhints people bad to pay even in kill-street
' them to overcrowd their homes to meet it.
Mayon asked Mr. Lack if he would allow
bat to exist, decimating the inhabitants, when thee
' was a remedy in their own hands.