HC Deb 22 July 1897 vol 51 cc830-1

The local authority of any district within which or part of which regulations so issued by the Board are declared to be in force, shall superintend and see to the execution thereof, and shall appoint and pay such medical or other officers or persons, and do and provide all such acts, matters, and things as may be necessary for mitigating any such disease, or for superintending or aiding in the execution of such regulations, or fur executing the same, as the case may require. Moreover, the local authority may from time to time direct any prosecution or legal proceedings for or in respect of the wilful violation or neglect of any such regulations.

*THE LORD ADVOCATE

moved to leave out from "require" to the end of the clause.

MR. CALDWELL

contended that the present law was that the licence of a common lodging-house keeper was not to be withdrawn unless there was evidence that he had infringed any of the regulations in regard to common lodging-houses; and it was most unfair that a man, after he had spent a large amount of money in fitting up a lodging-house, should be compelled to go every year before the sanitary authority for the renewal of his license.

*THE LORD ADVOCATE

said the Committee was unanimous in favour of the proposal in the Bill, and as he should not like to go back on the decision of the Committee he could not accept the Amendment.

DR. CLARK

said this clause was not a Public Health Clause at all; it should be in a Police Act. If a man or a Corporation put their money into common lodging-houses in large towns, they should be protected from the arbitrary withdrawal of their licences.

MR. SOUTTAR

said that he did not know why his hon. Friends should object to this provision. Very often a lodging house became disreputable, and it was felt in Committee that it would be desirable for the lodging house keeper to have to renew his licence from year to year.

SIR C. CAMERON

said that in Committee the Lord Advocate found that the clause needed to be redrafted, and the right hon. Gentleman promised to prepare a new clause before Report. That had not been done. The clause would be unworkable because there was no provision for the transfer of the licence.

Amendment negatived; clause ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 101,—