472 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



ment that knows its own mind, and intends to carry out the 

 best measures for the good of the country, and stand 

 or fall by them ; fortunately such a one was finally found, 

 and rabies has become extinct. 



Leaving this question, we must examine the machinery 

 which exists for carrying out measures which are decided 

 upon, and here it may at once be stated that orders are 

 frequently permissive, and left to the judgment and intelli- 

 gence of the local authority. 



This is a radical defect. There should be no such thing 

 as permissive legislation ; an Act is required or it is not. If 

 it is required it must be applied, and the people to apply it 

 are not those who are affected by it, but the impartial 

 Central Authority who knows the nature of the measure. 



Permissive legislation has also another aspect; it produces 

 discontent and irritation. One local authority is particular 

 and carries out the law, another is slack and evades it ; one 

 gives compensation, the other refuses it ; one will disinfect 

 and clean a place at the expense of the rates, another lets 

 this fall on the shoulders of the owner. In other words, 

 there is no uniformity, and without this the results can 

 never be good. 



The Board of Agriculture, as the Central Authority and 

 representative of the Government should issue an order 

 to the Local Authorities, direct them to carry it out, and, 

 further, take steps to insure this is done. The instructions 

 of the Central to the Local Authorities must be of the 

 nature of ' shall,' and not as at present ' may,' the Local 

 Authority being merely the machinery on the spot for 

 carrying out and enforcing the law. The intelligence of 

 the Local Authority is not equal to the responsibilities 

 imposed on them, while their feuds with neighbouring 

 authorities, which seem part of the established programme 

 of municipal life, are not conducive to effective legislation. 



For the purpose of legislating against epizootic diseases. 

 Great Britain should be one large county from a legal 

 point of view, while the existence of boundary marks must, 

 for the public good, be forgotten. 



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