§ House in Committee (according to Order).
§ Clauses 1 to 37 agreed to.
§ Clause 38.
VISCOUNT POWERSCOURT, in moving the addition to the clause of words providing better ventilation and supply of pure air to hospitals, and for providing recreation grounds for convalescent patients, explained, that in Dublin some of the hospitals—especially the group known as the House of Industry Hospitals—were surrounded by houses which were a great nuisance, and very detrimental to the health of the inmates of those hospitals; but it was impossible for the sanitary authorities to deal with the nuisance without some statutory power, and it was to that end that he moved this Amendment.
§
Amendment moved, to add, at end of clause, these words—
or for the purposes of enlarging or re-building, or more effectually isolating and ensuring the free circulation of pure air in and around any public hospital or hospitals for the reception of cases of disease or injury, and especially of disease among the poor, and for the providing of adequate recreation grounds for the sick and injured poor while under treatment in such hospital or hospitals during the period of their convalescence from such disease or injury.
THE DUKE OF RICHMOND AND GORDONregretted that he could not agree to the Amendment proposed by the noble Viscount, who, he thought, would see upon consideration that it would not be right to insert such a provision in this Bill. The noble Viscount proposed to give to the sanitary authorities power to take by compulsion land surrounding hospitals, over which those authorities had no control. The hospitals were supported by voluntary contributions. They were not, therefore, the property of the sanitary authorities, who, indeed, had nothing whatever to do with them. If the Amendment were agreed to, it might happen that a sanitary authority would acquire land round a hospital, that the hospital, becoming no longer available for the purpose for which it was originally intended, might be taken away, and that then the sanitary 1052 authority would hold land acquired by compulsion for no purpose whatever. It was quite obvious, unless the sanitary authority was also to have power over the hospitals, they must not have the power which the noble Viscount proposed to give them. They were not entitled or permitted to contribute towards the support of the hospitals, and, therefore, still less ought they to be allowed to acquire land outside them. Hence, he was compelled to oppose the Amendment.
§ Amendment (by leave of the Committee) withdrawn.
§ Amendments made: The Report thereof to be received on Thursday next.