§ MR. BRUNNERI wish to ask the President of the Local Government Board how many Sanitary Authorities have adopted "The Notification of Infectious Diseases Act, 1889;"and what is the total number of Sanitary Authorities?
§ *MR. RITCHIEThe Board have been informed that 469 Urban Sanitary Authorities, 331 Rural Sanitary Authorities, and 18 Port Sanitary Authorities have adopted the Notification of Infectious Diseases Act, 1889. This makes a total of 818 Authorities who have adopted the Act. The total number of urban, rural, and port sanitary districts is 1,624. The population, according to the Census of 1881, of the districts in which the Act is in force, exclusive of the Metropolis, is 15,463,000. There are also 56 towns, with a population of 3,751,000, where, under the provisions of local Acts, the system of notification is in operation. The result is that out of a total population, according to the 1588 Census of 1881, of 25,970,000 the population subject to a system of notification is now 19,214,000.
§ MR. BRUNNERMay I ask whether there is any hope that the Act will be made compulsory throughout the country next Session?
§ *MR. RITCHIENo doubt the time-will arrive when it must be considered whether the Act ought not to be made compulsory; but I doubt whether we should be justified in making the system compulsory so soon after the passing of the Act.