Local autho rity may re IV. The local authority may refuse to register as the fuse to regis- keeper of a common lodging house a person who does not ter houses, if produce to the local authority a certificate of character, in not produce such form as the local authority shall direct, signed by three certificate of inhabitant householders of the parish respectively rated to the keepers do character. Evidence of register. Power to local authority to require an ad ditional supply of water to common lodging houses. As to removal sons from common lodging houses to relief of the poor of the parish within which the lodging house is situate, for property of the yearly rateable value of six pounds or upwards. V. A copy of the entry made in a register kept under the recited Act, certified by the person having the charge of the register to be a true copy, shall be received in all courts, and before all justices, and on all occasions whatsoever, as evidence, and be sufficient proof of all things therein registered, without production of the register, or of any document, Act, or thing on which the entry is founded; And every person applying at a reasonable time shall be furnished gratis by the person having such charge with a certified copy of any such entry. VI. Where it appears to the local authority that a common lodging house is without a proper supply of water for the use of the lodgers, and that such a supply can be furnished thereto at a reasonable rate, the local authority may, by notice in writing, require the owner or keeper of the common lodging house, within a time specified therein, to obtain such supply, and to do all works necessary for that purpose (a); And if the notice be not complied with accordingly, the local authority may remove the common lodging house from the register until it be complied with. VII. When a person in a common lodging house is ill of of sick per- fever, or any infectious or contagious disease, the local authority may cause such person to be removed to an hospital. or infirmary, with the consent of the authorities thereof, and hospitals, &c. on the certificate of the medical officer of the parish, place, or district that the disease is infectious or contagious, and that the patient may be safely removed, and may, so far as the local authority think requisite for preventing the spread of (a) See, as to the water supply in lodging houses within the district of a local board of health, 11 & 12 Vict. c. 63, s. 75, ante, p. 126. disease, cause any clothes or bedding used by such person to be disinfected or destroyed, and may, if the local authority think fit, award to the owners of the clothes and bedding so disinfected or destroyed reasonable compensation for the injury or destruction thereof, And such compensation shall be paid to such owners by the proper officer of the parish or union in which the common lodging house is situate, out of the rates applicable to the relief of the poor of such parish, the amount of such compensation being first certified in writing upon a list of such articles. VIII. The keeper of a common lodging house in which Power to beggars or vagrants are received to lodge, or other person order reports from keepers having the care or management thereof, shall from time to of common time, if required by any order of the local authority served on lodging houses kept such keeper or person, report to the local authority, or to such for beggars and vagrants. person or persons as the said local authority shall direct, every person who resorted to such house during the preceding day or night, and for that purpose schedules shall be furnished by the local authority to the persons so ordered to report, which schedules they shall fill up with the information required, and transmit to the local authority. Act. XI. The fourteenth section of the recited Act extends to As to offences offences against any of the provisions of this Act, so as to against this render the offenders liable to the penalties therein expressed, and any person convicted of any offence against the recited Act and this Act, or either of them, may, in default of payment of the penalty imposed, be imprisoned for any term not exceeding three months, in the manner provided by law in that behalf. for third offence to XII. Where a keeper of a common lodging house, or a Conviction person having or acting in the care or management of a common lodging house, is convicted of a third offence against the disqualify recited Act and this Act, or either of them, the justices before persons from keeping comwhom the conviction for such third offence takes place may, mon lodging if they think fit, adjudge that he shall not at any time house. Acts may be justices at petty sessions. within five years after the conviction, or within such shorter period after the conviction as the justices think fit, keep, or have, or act in the care or management of a common lodging house, without the previous licence in writing of the local authority, which licence the local authority may withhold, or may grant, on such terms and conditions as they think fit. XIII. In a case in which there are not petty sessions for a executed by place fifthly mentioned in section three of the recited Act, that Act and this Act may be executed within and for all and any part of such place by the justices of the peace acting in petty sessions in the petty sessional division within which such place is comprised. For the regulation and inspection of lodging houses. CXVI. It shall not be lawful to keep or use as a public lodging house within the limits of the special Act any house, not being a licensed victualling house, which shall be rated to the relief of the poor on a less sum than ten pounds, nor in any case unless such house shall have been registered as a lodging house in a book to be kept by the commissioners for that purpose; and every house shall be deemed a public lodging house within the meaning of this Act in which persons are harboured or lodged for hire for a single night, or for less than a week at one time, or any part of which is let for any term less than a week. NOTE, that in 10 & 11 Vict. c. 34, s. 116, there is the following interpretation of the word PUBLIC LODGING HOUSE: "Every house shall be deemed a public lodging house within the meaning of this Act in which persons are harboured or lodged for hire for a single night or for less than a week at one time, or any part of which is let for any term less than a week." PREVENTION OF DISEASES. 18 & 19 VICT. CAP. 116. An Act for the better Prevention of Diseases. [14th August, 1855.] "WHEREAS the provisions of The Nuisances Removal and "Diseases Prevention Act, 1848,' amended by The Nuisances Removal and Diseases Prevention Amendment Act, 1849,' "in so far as the same relate to the prevention or mitigation "of epidemic, endemic, or contagious diseases, are defective, " and it is expedient to substitute other provisions more effec"tual in that behalf :" Be it therefore enacted : I. This Act may be cited for all purposes as the "Diseases Short title. Prevention Act, 1855." II. The local authority for executing this Act shall be the Local authority for local authority acting in execution of any general Act in force execution of for the time being for the removal of nuisances (a). Act. Act. III. The expenses incurred in execution of this Act shall Expenses of be borne out of the rates or funds administered by such local authority, under the provisions and for the purposes of any such general Act as is referred to in the preceding section (b). entry. IV. The local authority and their officers shall have power Power of of entry for the purposes of this Act, and for executing or superintending the execution of the regulations and directions of the general board issued under this Act. V. Whenever any part of England appears to be threatened Power to with or is affected by any formidable epidemic, endemic, or privy council to issue (a) See 18 & 19 Vict. c. 121, s. 3, post. (b) Ibid, s. 7. be put in force. orders that contagious disease, the lords and others of Her Majesty's most provisions herein conhonourable privy council, or any three or more of them, (the tained for lord president of the council or one of Her Majesty's principal prevention of diseases may secretaries of state being one,) may, by order or orders to be by them from time to time made, direct that the provisions herein contained for the prevention of diseases be put in force in England, or in such parts thereof as in such order or orders respectively may be expressed, and may from time to time, as to all or any of the parts to which any such order or orders extend, and in like manner, revoke or renew any such order; And, subject to revocation and renewal as aforesaid, every such order shall be in force for six calendar months, or for such shorter period as in such order shall be expressed; and every such order of Her Majesty's privy council, or of any members thereof, as aforesaid, shall be certified under the hand of the clerk in ordinary of Her Majesty's privy council, and shall be published in the London Gazette; Power to And such publication shall be conclusive evidence of such order to all intents and purposes. VI. From time to time after the issuing of any such order general board as aforesaid, and whilst the same continues in force, the geissue regula- neral board of health (a) may issue directions and regulations, as the said board think fit of health to tions to carry out such provisions. Local extent tions of ge For the speedy interment of the dead: For house to house visitation : For the dispensing of medicines, guarding against the spread of disease, and affording to persons afflicted by or threatened with such epidemic, endemic, or contagious diseases such medical aid and such accommodation as may be required: And from time to time, in like manner, may revoke, renew, and duration and alter any such directions and regulations as to the said of regula⚫ board appears expedient, to extend to all parts in which the neral board. provisions of this Act for the prevention of disease shall for the time being be put in force under such orders as aforesaid, unless such directions and regulations be expressly confined to some of such parts, and then to such parts as therein are (a) The privy council are now substituted for the general board of health. See 21 & 22 Vict. c. 97, ante, p. 219. |