No. 91. 1245

SUPPLEMENT
TO THE
NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
OF
THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1884.
Published by Authority.

WELLINGTON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 12, 1884.

Sections of “Public Health Act, 1876,” defining Power and Duties of Local Boards of Health.

Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Wellington, 11th August, 1884.

THE attention of the Local Boards of Health throughout the colony is drawn to the following provisions of “The Public Health Act, 1876.”

The definition of Local Boards of Health is, “the City or Borough Council, Town Board, Board of Wardens, or Commissioners, or other like body, howsoever denominated, of every city, town, and borough, and the Council, Road Board, Board of Wardens, Commissioners, or Trustees of every road district or highway district or other like body howsoever denominated, now or hereafter created, elected, constituted, or appointed under any Act of the General Assembly, or any Act or Ordinance of any Provincial Council, for the local government of such city, town, or borough, or road or highway district, and also such persons as may be appointed to be Local Boards as hereinafter provided.”

The duties of Local Boards are set forth in the following sections:—

INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND HOSPITALS.
Provisions against Infection.

27. Where any Local Board is of opinion, on the certificate of its Medical Officer, or of any other legally-qualified medical practitioner, that the cleansing and disinfecting of any house or part thereof, and of any articles therein likely to retain infection, would tend to prevent or check infectious disease, it shall be the duty of such Board to give notice in writing to the owner or occupier of such house or part thereof, requiring him to cleanse and disinfect such house or part thereof and articles within a time specified in such notice.

If the person to whom notice is so given fails to comply therewith, he shall be liable to a penalty of not less than five shillings and not exceeding twenty shillings for every day during which he continues to make default; and the Local Board shall cause such house or part thereof and articles to be cleansed and disinfected, and may recover the expenses incurred from the owner or occupier in default in a summary manner.

Where the owner or occupier of any such house or part thereof is from poverty or otherwise unable, in the opinion of the Local Board, effectually to carry out the requirements of this section, the Board may, without enforcing such requirements on such owner or occupier, cleanse and disinfect such house or part thereof and articles, and defray the expenses thereof.

28. When a householder knows that a person within the house occupied by him is taken sick of small-pox, cholera, or any other highly infectious disease dangerous to the people, he shall immediately give notice thereof to the Local Board of the district in which he dwells. If he refuses or neglects to give such notice, he shall forfeit a sum not exceeding ten pounds. It shall be the duty of the medical practitioner in attendance on such case to state to the householder, as early as possible, the infectious nature of such disease.

29. Any Local Board may do any of the following things:—
    (1.) Direct the destruction of any bedding, clothing, or other articles which have been exposed to infection from any dangerous infectious disorder, and may give compensation for the same:
    (2.) Provide a proper place, with all necessary apparatus and attendance, for the disinfection of bedding, clothing, or other articles which have become infected, and may cause any articles brought for disinfection to be disinfected free of charge:
    (3.) Provide and maintain a carriage or carriages suitable for the conveyance of persons suffering under any infectious disorder, and may pay the expenses of conveying therein any person so suffering to a hospital or other place of destination.

30. Where any suitable hospital or place for the reception of the sick is provided within the district of a Local Board, or within a convenient distance of such district, any person who is suffering from any dangerous infectious disorder, and is without proper lodging or accommodation, or lodged in a room occupied by more than one family, or is on board any ship or vessel, may, on a certificate signed by a legally-qualified medical practitioner, and with the consent of the superintending body of such hospital or place, be removed, by order of any Resident Magistrate, to such hospital or place at the cost of the Local Board.

An order under this section may be addressed to such constable or officer of the Local Board as the Resident Magistrate making the same may think expedient; and any person who willingly disobeys or obstructs the execution of such order shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds.

31. Any person who—
    (1.) While suffering from any dangerous infectious disorder wilfully exposes himself, without proper precau-