TOWN SANITATION. 707 
5.—THE HEALTH ACTS. 
The health acts of the colony consist of the Drain Act of 1873, 
two minor amending acts, and the District Councils Act of 1887. 
Prior to the passing of the latter act, the Central Board had 
direct jurisdiction outside the limits of all corporations. This 
jurisdiction has been transferred by the act of 1887 almost 
entirely to the district councils. 
The existence of the Central Board began with the act of 1873, 
and although it has been undoubtedly hampered in many impor- 
tant directions by insufficient legal powers, it has overcome 
numerous difficulties, and done a great deal of good work. It 
cannot be questioned that it has been the means of sweeping away 
the grosser and more palpable dangers to health, while it has 
educated the people to believe in some degree in the real necessity 
of public cleanliness. 
The health acts are in several respects too tentative, notably 
the District Councils Act just referred to. It may fairly be 
doubted whether any colony, such as South Australia, should 
commit the administration of its health acts so unreservedly to a 
host of small and practically independent local bodies. Sanitary 
knowledge is special and always in advance of public opinion, and 
it would, therefore, seem to be more reasonable that a body of 
men, fitted for the duty and free from popular influences, should 
administer its laws. 
This position leads to other prejudicial results, and among them 
we may refer to the delay in the removal of nuisances. Many of 
these boards meet only at intervals of a month, and as the 
inspector must first report to his board, and receive his instruc- 
tions to serve an order for abatement, weeks must sometimes pass 
over before the removal takes place. Meanwhile, it can be 
honestly said that the law is at work for its abatement. This 
position of things can only be met by investing the inspector with 
power to proceed at once on his own judgment against certain 
infringements of the acts. 
It may as well be noted here that the office of sanitary inspector 
to these local boards would be materially strengthened, and 
the work be more heartily and effectively done, if the appoint- 
ment and removal of these officers were made subject to 
confirmation by the Central Board, as in the case of medical 
health officers. 
The law is further in need of amendment in two other direc- 
tions. First, with respect to the notification of infectious 
diseases, and in the second place with regard to the possession by 
the Central Board of the necessary legal power to deal with 
outbreaks of such diseases. The compulsory notification of 
infectious diseases formed part of an amending health act 
recently before the Legislature, but the clauses having this object 
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