THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1896. A BIT OP A MUDDLE.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 183, 3 June 1896, Page 2

THE HOT LAKES CHRONICLE AND Tourists' Journal. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1896. A BIT OP A MUDDLE.

Fob ways that are dark and be\'ond tin-ken of ordinary mortals Government Departments are peculiar. We have already pointed out that after an infinity of trouble on the part of the members of the local Board of Healtha code of by-laws was drafted and submitted to the Crown Law Officers for revision. The Local Board took this step after writing- to the Colonial. Secretary's Department asking- that the regulations of tho Central Board should be forwarded to assist tlio local body it. preparing its by laws. The Depal menl replied bj forwarding a copy of the Health Act and a skoaf of Government Gazettes along with the curt intimation that "there wei'e no regulation by the Centuvl Board." Beyond this there was no information as t(, the functions of tb« local board, its duties, orimtrucl ithepreKrainnry step- to b< take t. !. U - . . ccordingly drafted to fcli - i I ability of the i and forwarded as stated. Nothu g was hi i«id of tiiem until Saturday Jn-.r when a ii-i . was received from lonial Secretary's Department follows: V.o by-laws. I advise local bodies on :- ■■.': qu stions and morei rer it d n ppi ir that Local Boards of :'■ can make regulations

with tlie exception of those specified in Section 16 of the Pulilic Health Act, 1876. and for the inspection of milk and dairies and with these exceptions the provisions of the Act are so ample that regulations do not seem necessary.

Tf xnsv not he the practice for Govertirneut departments to advise local bodies on legal questions, nor may it be judicious to do so, hut we certainly think it is incumbent on a department to advise its fellow officials (members of a Government nominated board) as to the course to pursue in k matter in which they liave had no previous expeiience. It would have been a simple mattei foa the Dtpartruent on being informed that the local Board was about to proceed with the drafting of a set of by-laws to inform the members that no such courso was necessary, with tlie exceptions specified. As it is valuable time has been frittered away because of the circumlocutory manner in which a Government department sees lit to do its work. All that was ever necessary was for the Local Board to notify its appointment and to take Mich steps, conformable to the Health Act. as seemed fitting. The only regulations it is necessary for the Board to make under sec 1G of the Act are those referring to the appointment, payment, &c., of its own officers, and the inspection of milk and dairies. Certainly, had the members of the local Board > tudied the Acta little more closely than they seem to have done they might have discovered this themselves.