THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD AND THE SANITARY INSPECTORS' ASSOCIATION.

770 common for us to be threatened by tradesmen, against whom LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD AND we are obliged to proceed in carrying out the Food and Drugs Act, that they will come on the board and see that we are THE SANITARY INSPECTORS’ disturbed from our office. We do not want to be protected ASSOCIATION. when we are in the wrong, but we do want to be protected when we are in the right." ON Friday, March 15th, Sir Walter Foster, ParliamenMr. ALEXANDER, Mr. HAYES FISHER, M.P., and Mr. tary Secretary to the Local Government Board, received a WILKINSON spoke to the same effect. Sir WALTER FOSTER, in replying to the remarks that had deputation from the Sanitary Inspectors’ Association, who said :-,I It gives me great pleasure to meet you been to him the of the tenure of insecurity represented office by here made, as the representatives of so important a body of to-day and the rate of their remuneration, sanitary inspectors meagre officers as the sanitary inspectors of Eogland and public and suggested various measures by which their position Wales. There are, I find, some 1600 of you in the country might be improved. holding these (jffices at very varying salaries, under very The deputation was introduced by Sir Benjamin Ward varying conditions of tenure, and also under very varying Richardson, and amongst those present were Mr. Thomas, conditions of efficiency-conditions of efficiency which are, chairman of the council of the Sanitary Inspectors’ Asso- however, I am glad to say, on the whole highly satisfactory ciation and chief sanitary inspector for Bermondsey, Mr. and highly creditable to the gentlemen who do their work Alexander, vice-chairman of the council, Mr. Wilkinson of under so many difficulties and often with very little encourage. Derby, Mr. Sumner of Wigan, Mr. Jacklin of Maidstone, ment. I must say that one remark in the address of your and twenty metropolitan inspectors. Mr. Hayes Fisher, M.P. President struck me very forcibly. He referred to the diffi. for Fulham, also accompanied the deputation. culty of carrying out efficiently sanitary work under present Sir BENJAMIN RICHARDSON, in introducing the deputation, conditions-I think he said that it was almost impossible I said :-"Sir, in addressing you to-day as President of the do not agree with him in that. I think that, looking at the Association of Sanitary Inspectors, I desire to speak existing conditions, one may well be surprised that these with you mainly on two points-firstly, the tenure of their duties have been so ably carried out as they have been. You office by sanitary inspectors, and secondly the amount have certainly discharged your duties with a marvellous of their remuneration. I should say that this matter amount of efficiency as regards the. saving of public life. has been brought to a crisis by the manner in which This fact struck me particularly when some weeks ago I was Mr. Watson, the sanitary inspector for the Barton-on-Trent looking over the result of this Board’s work in reference to district (who is here to-day), has been treated by his board. the Cholera survey which was undertaken by the Medical He was for thirty years inspector of the district, from which Department of this Board before and after the invasion of

THE

he has now been removed. He received in the first instance cholera in 1893. You will remember that in that year 215 a year, which was reduced to .g175 upon the division of this country was placed in a sitnation of great peril. his district in 1888. Now there is another division in his Although the ports of Western Europe were centres of infte. district, with the result that new inspectors have been elected tion there was during the whole time free intercourse between for each division and he is thrown out altogether. He has this country and those ports. Commerce went on as if there

mot been

appointed to anything else, and although he knows was no plague in the west of Europe. The danger was indeed the district so well, and has worked in it so long respected very great, and the invasion threatened to be very fatal. To by everyone, he is, by this action of the county council, meet these difficulties we depended entirely on the sanitary deprived altogether of his means of livelihood. This is not< service of the countrv. We had no Quarantine and no inter. a solitary instance, although it is perhaps the most striking.. raption of traffic. You remember, most of you, that we have All over the kingdom men are being thrown out in this way. had invasions of cholera on two cr three occasions previously We earnestly hope that some change will be made which and that it has been of a very fatal character. In 1849 we will ensure to these gentlemen a respectable living and some- lost 53,293 lives, in 1854 20,097, and in 1864 14,378 Whm thing in the way of a pension afterwards. I know that it in the face of these figures one looks back upon the year 1893 may be said that at the present time the Local Government one is struck by this fact-that although cholera did break Board has no power whatever in these matters, and that you through our outer line of defence, did get into our country of and effect a lodgment in sixty-four places, yet in forty-twoof are obliged to do what has been done before ; but we are somewhat doubtful whether this is the case. We of course those places the disease was stamped out with a single case .accept at once that you have no direct power, but you have and in only five instances did the disease extend beyond ten megatively and indirectly a great deal of power. But we cases, our total loss being only 135 lives. When one con. want you to go further than that. We want you to bring siders that and c 1mpares it with previous results it seems to about a change in the Act, so that security of tenure may me one of the most marvellous triumphs of sanitation over be given to all sanitary inspectors. This is the only way in the spread of cholera in the world’s history; and after giving which injustice can be prevented. I also speak strongly on their full share of credit to the permanent officials of this behalf of sanitation. Good sanitation cannot take place in Board, who, from Dr. Thorne downwards, worked mostlahoEngland under the circumstances which now exist. These riously during the whole period, these results must to a very inspectors were originally appointed to assist the medical large extent be admitted to be due to efficeint local sanitary officer of health in his duties ; but as time went on the work work, inasmuch as on that depend the preservation of the increased, and the sanitary inspector now has duties to per- purity of our water-supplies and the prevention of contadform which are not dependent on the medical officer at all. nation air and soil. If this condition of things has so Therefore we think that the time has arrived when not reduced cholera mortality you must have done your work only medical officers but also the sanitary inspectors every- throughout the various portions of the country with great where should have a more secure tenure of office. We efficiency, and I as a representative of this department would think also that in no case shoutd the salary be less than thank you for the efficient manner in which you have done £200 a year. An inspector who has gone through a proper your work during the last few years. The results to which I education and passed an examination should receive a have alluded may be brought home to you by this fact: if minimum of at least ;E200. rising to a maximum of f:350. we had had in England in the year 1893 a mortality from (I am surprised that inspectors should think that it ought to cholera in proportion to that of 1864-the least fatal of stop at f:350.) They would then feel that they could perform previous invasions-instead of 135 deaths we should have their duties irrespectively of all personal interests and quite had 19 965, and thus 20 000 lives were practically saved in independently. We also think that there should be some that single year by the efficiency of the sanitary service, It retiring pension, which should be calculated on the same is impossible to estimate how much sorrow and want ard basis as other pensions are." pauperism were thus averted, and I hope every local authority Mr. THOMAS pointed out the difficulties of the position of will learn from this that the truest economy they can pracsanitary inspectors. ’’We need protection," be said, ’’ in our tise is the enlightened administration of the Public Health work for various reasons. Local sanitary authorities are Acts and the placing of their sanitary officials in suchs c imposed of interested persons-men who carry on offensive position that they can do their duties fearlessly. You will trades, lodging-house keepers mukmen hutchers, grocers, see that personally I am in sympathy with you and that,I There is probably not one parish in England where an appreciate the great results which follow from the effi&c. inspector does not have to interfere with the interests of, cient discharge of your laborious and dangerous datiss.s some member of his authority in sanitary matters, nor one I agree with Sir Benj imin Richardson that the life of who can carry out his duties without fear or favour. It issanitary inspector is undoubtedly as perilous as that of this ,

,

.

771 soldier.

While, however, from these remarks you may local authorities will not forget the faithful services rendered I have the strongest sympathy with you, I by these gentlemen, and that they will feel that such officers

TeMgmse that

want you to bear in mind that we, the Local Government

far as the law will allow us. Your first demand is in the direction of having security of tenure. The law does not at present give you that position, and it would require the passing of an Act of Parliament to give you the security of tenure you desire. I do not see any prospect of time being at the disposal of the House of Commons for the passing of such an Act during the present session. If, however, an amendment of the Public Health Acts is brought forward at any time I shall do try best to support it and shall remember the arguments which have been so ably placed before me to-day. I have no doubt that in so doing I could count on the support of Mr. Hayes Fisher and other I wish also to members on that side of the House. say that, although up to the present time the Lca.1 Government Board have been in the habit of recognising for one year only, we have done this on account o the hitherto uncertain areas of local government in this country; but now that the form of government has become settled and the country has been mapped out into more suitable governing districts we shall be in a position to take a different attitude towards this question. The Board are prepared to use their influence (within all proper limits) with the various local authorities to do away with these short-period appointments and to encourage local authorities everywhere to make these appointments for a term of years or, if posGible, permanently, believing that, under such circumstances, the duties of sanitary inspectors would be discharged more fearlessly and with much more benefit to the public. The Board are prepared to go thus far without an Act of Parliament, but in course of time I hope an Act will be passed to bring about the changes desired. With reference to the salaries, I find that you are not as a body properly paid. I and that in many cases the salaries are exceedingly small, and I must say that when you suggested 200 as a minimum ! could not help contrasting it with the actual state of affairs. I find there are some sanitary inspectors receiving only 5ayear, and some others, even where there is part repayment by the county council, receiving salaries of r10 a year. I fear that in many cases these salaries are not paid with a view to the discharge of onerous duties, but are given for services which are supposed by the local authorities to be nominal, but which you very well know are not nominal and ought not to be. You may be sure that we shall endeavour as far as possible to secure more adequate remuneration for these posts. We have discouraged and raised objections in many instances to these inadequate salaries. But you must remember that the Local Government Board cannot govern and control local matters to the extent which many of you seem to desire ; we can never become a strong central authority such as you would like. In the evolution of government in the country more and more power must go to the local authorities ; the whole bent and bias of modern development is in that direction, and it is to local bodies, therefore, that you must primarily look for redress. This Board will be a guiding and sanctioning body ; it cannot be a constantly interfering one ; but I can assure you that you will always have from the Local Government Board such sympathy and help as they can give. The salaries must, of course, to a large extent depend upon the local authorities, though in all cases the tendency of the Board will be to encourage proper and liberal, rather than inadequate, payments for such valuable services as you render to the community. As regards pensions, you must work that question out for yourselves on the same basis as the Poor-law officers throughout the country are now doing. There are Bills now 3efore the House brought in by private members dealing with the question. I direct your attention to them with a view to your getting yourselves included in the scheme. There is

i3oard,

can

only go

so

appointments

a

strong feeling against pensions,

public opinion being more

in favour of salaries being paid at such a rate as would lead ’to the abolition of pensions ; but if the system is to be continned I see no reason why it should not be extended to sanitary officers as well as to other officials. Lastly, with reference to the very hard case of Mr. Watson (for it must be admitted that it is a very hard case), you must, I think, recognise that it is one of those cases in which the Board has no real authority. The statute of 1894 enables local authorities to make these changes in the areas under their control, and gentlemen who are unfortunately in the position of having their appointments renewed from year to year may Ót dismissed by these authorities. But I should hope that

have a moral claim upon them, and that they will not on the sole ground of economy put these claims on one side and use their powers harshly." Sir BENJAMIN RICHARDSON then thanked Sir W. Foster, and the deputation withdrew.

ALDERSHOT: THE SANITARY AND SOCIAL

CONDITIONS. THERE have been so many rumours and reports concerning the sanitary condition of Aldershot that it will tend to relieve unnecessary anxiety to show what is the actual state of affairs. Briefly, it must be explained that there are two systems of drainage-that of the town and that of the camp. Of course, it would be much better to amalgamate the two ; that is a point beyond dispute. The difficulty has been to effect an arrangement between the civil and military authorities and to settle how the expenses should be shared between these two independent and widely different bodies. Aldershot as a town has very rapidly developed of late years. From a hamlet with a few hundred inhabitants it has become a little town with a population of about 14,000. The town, under these circumstances, has the advantage of being built on virgin soil, a soil which has never been contaminated by old cesspools and where sewers were laid down But difficulties have arisen as fast as houses were built. with regard to the disposal of the sewage thus collected. Some twenty years ago the town of Aldershot contracted with a firm for the treatment and clarification of this sewage before its discharge into the river Black water ; but the method of treatment was not satisfactory. Complaints were made that the river was befouled, and a neighbouring authority lower down the stream entered an action against the Aldershot authorities. They gained their point. Judgment against Aldershot was obtained, and injanctions to restrain from polluting were given. Under these distressful circumstances, the town took the sewage works out of the hands of the contractor, who fortunately made no resistance, but seemed, on the contrary, glad to escape from all the difficulties that had arisen. The town authorities now tried various processes of purification, and discovered that, probably in consequence of the large number of horses at Aldershot, their sewage was stronger than that of most towns, and methods of purification which gave satisfaction elsewhere did not act with sufficient energy at Aldershot. Also there was the fact that not only was the sewage stronger, but that the river is small. Thus an affluent was produced by a lime process which if thrown into a large river would cause no trouble. It was clear, free from colour, and looked pure, but still contained organic elements in solution. A large volume of water and a rapid current would have oxidised this small quantity of remaining impurity, but in the comparatively stagnant waters of the Blackwater a secondary decomposition set in. Lower down, in bends of the river, black deposits were formed which, under the heat of the summer sun, soon became obnoxious. The local authorities, after taking advice, abandoned lime as Cakes a precipitant, and have since utilised Gibb’s alumina. of this precipitant are placed at the bottom of a trough and the sewage is pumped up through them. After the precipitation is over the water is thrown on to land. So that the filtration may be more perfect some thirty more acres of land have been purchased. The land slopes ; the clarified sewage is discharged on the soil at the highest point, and is collected again at the lowest point in a trench dug some 5 ft. deep near the river bank. On the grounds some root crops In rainy weather as many and rye grass are grown. as a million gallons of sewage have been treated and pumped upon this ground in the twenty-four hours. The average outfall of sewage is from 600,000 to 650,000 gallons per day, and this for a civil population of some 15,000 persons. In spite of these improvements in the treatment of their sewage, some twelve months ago the Aldershot authorities were again convicted by the County Court for polluting the river. Feeling that, under the altered circumstances, this was not a fair judgment, the Aldershot authorities carried the case before the Court of Appeal in London and here they were successful. The Court of Appeal decided that the Aldershot authorities were using the best available means and gave