The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-20 00:00:00

MI TROPOLI TA MAvAGEMENT ACT.

Yesterday a deputation of district surgeons of St.
Mazylebone end St. Pancras parishes waited on air Ben-
jamin Hall, with the object of obtaining from him an ex-
pression of opinion respecting the approaching appoint-
ments of health officers under the new act. The deputa-
tion consisted of Messrs. Joseph, Mushett, Clapp, Head,
Sutherin, Adams, Joffreys, and Wilbore.
Mr. JOSEPH urged upon the right honourable baronet
that the district surgeons were indispensable to the pro-
per working of the act, and had, moreover, peculiar ad-
vantages in the familiarity with localities, which they
necessarily acquired in the performance of their present
duties. He also said that the district surgeons would
feel it derogatory to them and to the profession to which
they belonged were persons possessing only the same
qualifications as themselves, occupying only the same or
perhaps an inferior position in the profession, to be ap-
pointed to the high office provided for in the act, who
would reap all the honour and errolun est , whi'st the
entire of the hard work would devolve uvou the district
medical officers.

Sir BENJAMIN Ilan pointed out that, on receiving a
former deputation, he had said nothing to limit the full
exercise of the powers conferred on the local boards. On
that occasion it was suggested that the officers should be
elected by examination, and he had remarked that in that
case they could not do better than follow the precedent
of the East In lia Company's examinations. For himself,
he had, in drawing the clause on this subject in the act,
had in view the appointment of such men as Mr. Simon
and Dr. Letheby, men of high standing in the profes-
sion, under whom the officers of unions could act with
pleasure. He trusted that the local beards would per-
form their duties conscientiously, and irrespective of all
personal or party feeling—in which case the cause of
local self-government would be viewed in a favourable
light. But if these boards did not make the very best
u-e of the powers entrusted to them, that principle
would be brought into great disrepute.
Mr. CLAPP said that Simons and Lethebys were not
to be found for each district ; the parishes, moreover,
would not pay the high salaries such men would require,
and it would be physically impossible for one man to
take a ♦ast district like St. Pancras or Marylebone. An
examination they (the deputation) would think beneath
their position. If one man was appointed to the office,
the work of necessity would devolve upon the district
surgeons, and it was entirely out of the question that
they should be expected to have all the responsibility
without the honour and emoluments.
Sir B. HALL said that a rate of one-seventh of a penny
would in Marylebone produce 510/., being 1001. more
than was paid to Dr. Letheby. It was, therefore,
merely a question for the local authorities and the rate-
payers to consider whether they should pay an infi-
nitesimal fraction of a penny in the pound more in order
to secure the services of gentlemen of the position he
had indicated.
Mr. ADAMS remarked that the clause in the act al-
luded to the appointment of one or more medical officers
for each district.

Sir B. HALL said he could only state that it was not
for him to enter into what would be done. He was see
tisfied with the clause as it stood. That clause or a
similar one also existed in the City Sewers Act of 1848,
and in the Liverpool Sanitary Act of 1845 ; and in the
great borough of Liverpool, with a population of 470,000
persons, one medical officer was found quite sufficient to
superintend the district. He believed that the same was
the case in many other of the largest towns in the king-
dom. The great point really was that the authorities
should choose men of eminence, and men with whom,
from their station and reputation, the officers of unions
could feel pleasure in acting.
The deputation, after some further conversation,
thanked Sir B. Hall fit the courteous reception he had
given them, and retired.